Alligators and other reptiles don't use enough metabolic energy to keep their body temperatures constant. They cool off at night and must warm up in the sun in the morning. Suppose a 300 kg kg alligator with an early-morning body temperature of 25 ∘ C ∘C is absorbing radiation from the sun at a rate of 1200 W How long will the alligator need to warm up to a more favorable 30 C?

Question

Abel Perry

Physics

6 January, 04:07

Alligators and other reptiles don't use enough metabolic energy to keep their body temperatures constant. They cool off at night and must warm up in the sun in the morning. Suppose a 300 kg kg alligator with an early-morning body temperature of 25 ∘ C ∘C is absorbing radiation from the sun at a rate of 1200 W How long will the alligator need to warm up to a more favorable 30 C?

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Answers (1)

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Joslyn Nelson · Answer 1

Amount of heat required can be found from the following relation

Q = mcΔT

m is mass of the body, c is specific heat and ΔTis rise in temperature.

Here m = 300 kg

c = 3350 J / kg k

ΔT = 30 - 25

= 5 °C

Putting the values in the expression above

Q = 300 x 3350 x 5

= 5025000 J

Rate at which energy is absorbed = 1200 J / s

Time required

= 5025000 / 1200

= 4187.5 S

= 69.8 minute

= 1 hour 9.8 mimutes.