Posted by Dr. Science on 12/14/2011 in
Question |
If dirt weighs 25.84 lbs/cubic foot, how much dirt can you get out of a hole that is 1 foot by 2 feet by 1 foot?
———- from Darrell Bishop of College Station, TX
It depends on how big your shovel is. The bigger the shovel, the less precise an instrument it is. The theory of limits would tell us that the smallest possible spoon would be the most efficient way to get at all the dirt, but the most time consuming. A bulldozer would excavate your tiny hole and then some. In either case, you’d have to pay the spoon or the bulldozer operator. And, frankly, this experiment you’ve described is neither colorful, sexy or scientifically valid enough to justify the expense. So you’ve asked me a meaningless question; one, you see, that’s essentially moot.
