A set of estimates of various physical quantities are shown
below. For each estimate, consider the following three
questions
- Do you think that the estimation will be an over- or
under-estimate, or will it be exactly correct? Or will it be
impossible to say without more information? Be as clear as you
can with your reasoning.
- Why do you think that the solver made the estimate in this
way? What assumptions were made?
- How close do you think that the estimations would be to the
real values?
Note that you might need to refer to the biological
quantitative data for some of the numbers used and you might
need to use a calculator.
- I wish to estimate the volume of an apple. It weighs
76.2kg. I therefore estimate its volume to be 76.2cm$^3$.
- I have a set of ball bearings of volume 1cm$^3$. A large
crate is filled to the brim with ball bearings and closed with
a lid. The box contains 850 ball bearings, so I estimate that
the box has a volume of 850cm$^3$.
- An oak tree measures 106cm around the base, corresponding
to a cross section of 0.0894m$^3$. I have measured the height
to be 7.3m. I estimate the volume to be 0.65m$^3$. How would
your answer differ if the question related to a fir tree (with
the same numbers)
- In a wood of area 27000m$^2$ I find 34 earthworms in a
volume of soil of 1m$^2$ in area and 20 cm deep. I therefore
estimate that there are 918000 earthworms in the wood.
- I wish to estimate the volume of an apple.
I weight it and measure 76.2g.
I therefore estimate that its volume is 76.2 cm3.
- I have a set of ball bearings of volume 1cm3.
A large box is filled to the brim with ball bearings and closed with a lid.
The box contains 850 ballbearings,
so I estimate that the box has a volume of 850 cm3.
- An oak tree measures 106 cm around the base, corresponding to a
cross section of 0.0894 m2. I have measured the height to be 7.3m.
I estimate its volume to be 0.65m3. How would the results differ if a
fir tree exhibited the same dimensions?
- In a wood of area 27000m2 I find 62 woodlice in an area of 1m2. T
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