Question

Approximately 220 million tires are discarded in the U.S. each year. These tires present a disposal problem because they take up space, harbor pests, and have been known to catch fire. One tire can generate about 250,000 BTUs (1 BTU = 3 x 10-4 kWh) when it is burned. The average American home consumes about 10,000 kWh of electricity per year. How many tires would be needed to meet the annual electricity demand of ten homes for one year if the production of electricity from tires is 50% efficient?

Answer 1

Answer:

2667 tires

Step-by-step explanation:

One tire can generate:

• 250000 BTU's = 250000*3*10⁻⁴ kWh = 75 kWh electricity

Considering efficiency of 50%, one tire can produce:

• 75/2 = 37.5 kWh

10 homes require electricity, amount of:

• 10000*10 = 100000 kWh per year

How many tires can cover this demand?

• 100000/37.5 ≈ 2667 tires