[rob158]

Hi,

I'm stuck on this. Does anyone know how I work this out?

An estimated 7.3 × 1012 kg (7300 million tonnes) of anthropogenic carbon are added to the atmosphere of the Earth each year.
You may have come across the phrase ‘carbon footprint’. This can be defined as the amount of carbon that an individual adds to the environment each year (indeed, you may already have calculated your own carbon footprint). Based on a global population of 7 billion (i.e. 7 × 109) humans, what is the average mass of anthropogenic carbon added to the environment in a day by a single human (i.e. what is their average daily carbon footprint)? Express your answer to the appropriate number of significant figures.

Many thanks.

 

[Firedog]

Gives me a headache x 10,000.

 

[Jiskefet]

Please define billion....
The term signifies a different number of zeros in British and American English, and I never know which is which.....

 

[rob158]

9 I think according to the scientific notation. ( 7 × 109)

 

[K337]

7.3 x 10^12
---------------
7 x 10^9 x 365

=

7.3 x 10^3
-----------
7 x 365

= 2.9 kgs per day per person to 1 sig fig.

* Assuming 365 days in a year and not allowing for leap years. Depending on what this is for you might want to use 365.25 for the number of days in a year and state your assumptions.