The diameter of the pipe of the BP oil spin at the bottom of the ocean floor in the Gulf of Mexico is 48.26 cm (19 inches). From the Spillcam on the web, the speed of the oil coming out is estimated to be 0.5 m/s. How many gallons of the crude oil is spilled per day? Conversion factor: 1 m3 = 264.2 gallons
Thank you for any insight!! I'm just totally unsure of where to begin on this one.
Thank you for any insight!! I'm just totally unsure of where to begin on this one.
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Pipe radius, r = 48.26/2 = 24.13cm = 0.2413m
Cross-sectional area of pipe = πr² = π x 0.2413² = 0.183 m²
Since the speed of the the oil is 0.5m/s, this means that each second a 0.5m long 'cylinder' of oil leaves the pipe.
The volume of a cylinder = cross-sectional area x length.
So the volume of the oil leaving the pipe per second = 0.183 x 0.5 = 0.09146m³
In gallons this is 0.09146x 264.2 = 24.16 gallons per second.
SInce there are 3600s in 1 hour and 24 hours in 1 day, amount of oil per day
= 24.16 x 3600 x 24
= 2.09x10⁶ gallons
(= about 2.1 million gallons per day)
(That's the method - arithmetic not guarenteed!)
Cross-sectional area of pipe = πr² = π x 0.2413² = 0.183 m²
Since the speed of the the oil is 0.5m/s, this means that each second a 0.5m long 'cylinder' of oil leaves the pipe.
The volume of a cylinder = cross-sectional area x length.
So the volume of the oil leaving the pipe per second = 0.183 x 0.5 = 0.09146m³
In gallons this is 0.09146x 264.2 = 24.16 gallons per second.
SInce there are 3600s in 1 hour and 24 hours in 1 day, amount of oil per day
= 24.16 x 3600 x 24
= 2.09x10⁶ gallons
(= about 2.1 million gallons per day)
(That's the method - arithmetic not guarenteed!)
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The speed of the oil coming out is estimated to be 0.5 m/s. This means that the oil, in the pipe, moves a distance of 0.5 meter each second.
Let determine the volume of oil which is flowing through the each second. The pipe is a cylinder with diameter of 48.26 cm.
Volume of cylinder = π * radius^2 * length
Radius = ½ * diameter = 0.2413 m
Length = distance that the oil in the pipe moves each second = 0.5
Volume of cylinder = (π * 0.2413^2 * 0. 5) m^3
This is the volume of oil which is flow through the pipe each second.
Now, determine volume of oil, which is flowing through the pipe in one day.
Number of seconds in one day = 24 hr/day * 60 min/hr * 60 sec/min = 86,400 seconds
Volume per day = (π * 0.2413^2 * 0.5 * 86,400) m^3
1m^3 = 264.2 gallons
Gallons per day = (π * 0.2413^2 * 0.5 * 86,400) * 264.2
Gallons per day = 2,087,762.423
This is the volume of oil, which is flowing through the pipe each day.
Number of gallons of the crude oil, which is spilled per day = volume of oil, which is flowing through the pipe each day.
Number of gallons of the crude oil, which is spilled per day = 2,087,762.423 gallons
Let determine the volume of oil which is flowing through the each second. The pipe is a cylinder with diameter of 48.26 cm.
Volume of cylinder = π * radius^2 * length
Radius = ½ * diameter = 0.2413 m
Length = distance that the oil in the pipe moves each second = 0.5
Volume of cylinder = (π * 0.2413^2 * 0. 5) m^3
This is the volume of oil which is flow through the pipe each second.
Now, determine volume of oil, which is flowing through the pipe in one day.
Number of seconds in one day = 24 hr/day * 60 min/hr * 60 sec/min = 86,400 seconds
Volume per day = (π * 0.2413^2 * 0.5 * 86,400) m^3
1m^3 = 264.2 gallons
Gallons per day = (π * 0.2413^2 * 0.5 * 86,400) * 264.2
Gallons per day = 2,087,762.423
This is the volume of oil, which is flowing through the pipe each day.
Number of gallons of the crude oil, which is spilled per day = volume of oil, which is flowing through the pipe each day.
Number of gallons of the crude oil, which is spilled per day = 2,087,762.423 gallons