1 Estimate the lifetime of the sun. From a box of cereal we know that 1 oz of cereal gives 120 Calories of energy.

Note that 1 calorie is the amount of energy needed to raise 1 gm of water 1 C, and that 1 Calorie = 1 kcal = 1000 calories 1 oz = 28.35 gm 30 gm 1calorie = 4.2joules Assume: The chemical process in the sun is about as ecient as that of the body. The mass of the sun is 2 1030 kg. The distance to the sun is 1.5 108 km. The rate at which energy from the sun lands on earth can be measured by putting a glass of water outside at noon on a sunny day and is about 300 cal/ m2 sec The challenge is to use the above facts to estimate the lifetime of the sun if it were actually a large lump of burning coal. In a problem like this it is best and sensible to give a rough estimate of the lifetime because of the rough approximations being made. If you include more than one signicant gure, then you will appear to be inexperienced, i.e. a rookie :-( If you do all of the arithmetic on the back of an envelope and dont even look at your calculator then the overall experience is much more enlightening!