| Author | Message | ||
     Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1304 Registered: 4-2009 |
My family think that this forum is used and managed by the cleverest people on earth. So they have asked me to put a question out to the forum to see what would be a clever answer to a question that they genuinely don't know the answer to. This is a quiz question and two members of my family are keen to propose a balanced answer. Here is the question: What percentage of the world's water is contained in one watermelon? All answers are welcome. I don't think that there is a correct or wrong answer but there may be more than one perspective - so let us hear them all...... | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Frequent User Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 93 Registered: 5-2016 |
What size watermelon?! | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Frequent User Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 94 Registered: 5-2016 |
I think that 0% would be a reasonably accurate answer! | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1306 Registered: 4-2009 |
hahahahaha no I don't think they are looking for 0 as an answer because there is a percentage in any watermelon all be it a tiny tiny percentage. The size of water melon is of no significance as the relative size of said melon and the oceans makes melon size irrelevant. I like the replies though.... | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 2667 Registered: 4-2003 |
Pedant Alert: To provide a meaningful estimate, there are too many unknowns that will render any estimate completely unreliable. Examples are: 1. The amount of water in underground aquifers - the Great Australian Artesian Basin on its own contains an indeterminant volume of water. 2. The amount of water in the soil which varies with the seasons throughout the year. 3. The water present in the atmosphere as clouds and humidity. 4. The water present in dams, lakes, oceans, creeks, rivers, snow and the Arctic/Antarctic ice caps. 5. The amount of water being created by combustion and the absorption of water by plants as they grow. My answer would be "Who cares - the only thing that matters is there is enough water in cold melon on a hot day to provide adequate refreshment." Q.E.D. [quod erat demonstrandum - "what was to be demonstrated".]  . | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 546 Registered: 11-2015 |
I think this should be a Fermi question to be fair. | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 824 Registered: 4-2012 |
I will go with .00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 Richard. | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 547 Registered: 11-2015 |
You must be joking Mr. Yeaman. I could see 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 or even 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001, but 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001? | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1518 Registered: 5-2015 |
The third root of N divided by the forth root of C. Water cant be destroyed. Yet it can be wasted People are 97% water so is my cat. So if thirsty drink a cat---or a small child. Drinking an adult is greedy. I like the comment about us lot being intelligent --- we own RR/Bs ?!  | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1519 Registered: 5-2015 |
Ross, You forgot to put decimal point, so all 3 calculations are actually = 1%. I have put specks of dirt on my browser to correct the error. | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 548 Registered: 11-2015 |
RNR, I used my phone to cut and paste, so be lucky it was just missing decimals and not an emoticon of dog doo. | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 549 Registered: 11-2015 |
 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1307 Registered: 4-2009 |
The amount of water on the planet is a fixed quantity that cannot escape or be added to. All water on the planet (wherever it is stored) remains on the planet forever. It is all about finding out how much of the planet is water and how much is "the rest". once that is established the next step is to find out how much water is contained in an average watermelon. after that it is simple maths........... QED | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Frequent User Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 95 Registered: 5-2016 |
The water contained within the watermelon is already part of the fixed quantity on the planet, so one would need to firstly calculate the planet's water content including the watermelon content and then calculate the % in the watermelon compared to the combined figure. Robert's comment above reminds me of the song "Old dogs, children and watermelon wine" by Tom T Hall. | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 826 Registered: 4-2012 |
Omar those kids of yours are having a laugh, is there any prizes for a near correct answer. Richard. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1521 Registered: 5-2015 |
I have never heard of watermelon wine. If a melon weighs about 2 kilos then it contains 2 litres of water. On the internet there is proof that the world is flat and the land masses at the edges stop the water running off the edges. So to measure the amount water just tip the world to one side and empty the water into a giant bucket. Not forgetting that all the other water melons have to be accounted for. | ||
| Benoit Leus Grand Master Username: benoitleus Post Number: 308 Registered: 6-2009 |
My 16 year old son Arthur accepted the challenge and went to work on Omar's question. First he calculated the total amount of water on the world, including clouds, humans, plants, etc ... = 1332 x 10^9 km^3 H2O The average weight of a watermelon = 9,072kg 91% of a watermelon is H2O => 8,2552 kg H2O 1kg H2O = 1km^3 x 10^-12 => 8,2552 kg H2O = 8,2552 x 10^-12 km^3 H2O % of water of all the water in the world in a watermelon = (8,2552 x 10^-12 km^3 H2O/1332 X 10^9 km^3 H2O) x 100 = 6,198 x 10^-22 % | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1522 Registered: 5-2015 |
I have just had a pee so it needs to be recalculated. | ||
| Benoit Leus Grand Master Username: benoitleus Post Number: 309 Registered: 6-2009 |
It doesn't, Bob. You peeing doesn't add to the total of water on the planet. It's just a transfer of liquid. | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1310 Registered: 4-2009 |
I have cracked up reading your daft comments. But we have been beaten by one bright 16 year old to whom I have to take my hat off. So Arthur - a question for you. How did you work out the quantity of water on the planet and also how did you consider the average depth of the oceans? | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 1781 Registered: 5-2012 |
Benoit Congratulations to your bright son, but you have let him down in your transcription of his results: The average weight of a watermelon = 9,072kg That's about 10 tons in real money. I think you meant 9.072, unless you have very large watermelons in Belgium. | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1311 Registered: 4-2009 |
The French way of using decimals is to use commas. For them, this is the norm. For those used to the British/American/Australian/Canadian/NZ/ and many many many more places in the world - who all use full stops, a comma looks wrong. In fact in the French way it is perfectly correct. Don't we just love the diversity of this forum? | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1312 Registered: 4-2009 |
What worries me is how big the average watermelon is in Belgium. For it to be average means that there must be many that are lots bigger.... I would have assumed an average watermelon to be 7 Kgs at a guess but then I am not a melon expert. Mind you..... I remember this young lady at college who............. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1523 Registered: 5-2015 |
Big melons, I knew someone would get rude.  | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 1782 Registered: 5-2012 |
Hi Omar Thanks for that information. One learns something new every day. Geoff | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1524 Registered: 5-2015 |
Now thanks to young Arthur I can impress and make new friends at parties, Starting with did you know etc, and ending in not many people know that.  | ||
| Harry Heuchan New User Username: harry_heuchan Post Number: 3 Registered: 4-2010 |
Arthur’s notation of using the comma’s in lieu of decimals for his watermelon formula reminds of the story of the mum & baby mouse walking down the footpath when they were attacked by a cat. The mother mouse turned to the cat and went “Woof!” Cat ran away with mother mouse stating to baby mouse; - “That’s the advantage of learning a foreign language.” | ||
| Christian S. Hansen Grand Master Username: enquiring_mind Post Number: 614 Registered: 4-2015 |
Which begs the question as to what the French system uses in lieu of commas? A period, or what? In US, one million dollars and sixty one cents is $1,000,000.69 and ten percent is .10. If the French system uses a comma instead of period for decimal point, I presume that ten percent is ,10 and one million dollars and sixty nine cents will be $1.000.000,69 Yes? If not, then what? Just curious. . | ||
| Benoit Leus Grand Master Username: benoitleus Post Number: 310 Registered: 6-2009 |
Entirely correct, Christian. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1525 Registered: 5-2015 |
The French do as the French do. | ||
| Jonas TRACHSEL Prolific User Username: jonas_trachsel Post Number: 140 Registered: 2-2005 |
We here write one million Dollars and sixtynine Cents like that: 1'000'000,69. Basta Jonas | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 1785 Registered: 5-2012 |
Is that also the notation used in Arabic Countries? Maybe you could enlighten us Omar. I'm asking as I've been checking this stuff out on the internet and I could not get a clear example for those Countries in the Middle East. | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1316 Registered: 4-2009 |
In actual fact Geoff - the very numbers that you use every day have a name that is surprisingly........................ wait for it............................................................................ "Arabic Numerals". For that reason, we use the exact numbers that you use and in exactly the same format too. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 1786 Registered: 5-2012 |
Hi Omar Of course - I'd forgotten about that. In fact your sentence should have read "you use the exact numbers that we use". Geoff | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1320 Registered: 4-2009 |
indeed............. | ||
| Christian S. Hansen Grand Master Username: enquiring_mind Post Number: 617 Registered: 4-2015 |
Jonas... Sort of like the Benny Hill skits where he spoofs the "down under" by showing people suspended from the ceiling....in this case the "commas" between the "thousands" are upside down!! (well, apostrophes rather than commas) . | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1526 Registered: 5-2015 |
The Arabs invented modern maths and arithmetic. I think it was BC. Arabic numerals are understood world wide. |
