There Is Only One Bag Of Potato Chips Left On Earth

There Is Only One Bag Potato Chips Left On The Planet Earth Ed And Tr

There is only one bag potato chips left on the planet Earth. Ed and Trina have found it on the far side of ‘look out’ mountain with 2 grams of water inside the bag. The chips were soggy. Until another source of nutrients has been discovered they must share this bag of potato chips for their survival. The discovery of another source of nutrients is expected in 5 days.

Therefore, Ed and Trina must proportion the potato chips appropriately. They felt positive about their survival rate because potato chips have a reasonable amount of calories. To their surprise however, they realized upon strategy planning for survival, that as a result of a prior catastrophic drought limiting potato chip production that the biosphere temperatures were rising 1 degree Celsius per day. This information drastically changed their survival strategy. In addition, after looking in the bag only one serving was left for their consumption.

Based on the potato chip label and your knowledge from chapters 1 and 2 answer the following questions. 3. How many calories will be burned by the biosphere’s heat and how much will be left? 4. If the inorganic components were removed from the remaining potato chips what value per day would be left for consumption? 6. How much fat was available for consumption upon discovery of the potato chips?

Paper For Above instruction

The scenario presented by Ed and Trina's situation offers a compelling context to analyze caloric expenditure, nutrient composition, and survival strategies under environmental stress. This discussion explores the effects of rising biosphere temperatures on calorie burn, the nutritional values of potato chips after inorganic removal, and the fat content available for consumption, integrating principles from biology, nutrition, and environmental science.

Caloric Burn Due to Rising Biosphere Temperatures

The progression of temperature increase by 1 degree Celsius daily over five days exerts physiological and environmental impacts with direct implications for Ed and Trina's survival. Elevated temperatures lead to increased metabolic rates in living organisms and higher energy expenditure to maintain homeostasis. According to the principles of thermoregulation, each 1°C rise can approximate an increase of about 7% in basal metabolic rate (BMR) in humans, which translates to higher caloric consumption (Haman & Muckenthaler, 2013). This increased metabolic demand means Ed and Trina are likely to burn additional calories daily, deducting from the available energy reserves of the potato chips.

Assuming the potato chips originally contained a specific caloric value per serving, the additional calories burned due to temperature rise can be estimated proportionally. For example, if the original calorie content per serving was 150 calories, a 7% increase per degree Celsius would mark a significant additional caloric expenditure over five days, with 35% more calories burned (7% per day over five days cumulatively). Thus, if Ed and Trina’s basal caloric requirements are 2000 calories daily, the additional caloric burn attributed to environmental conditions would be roughly 140 calories per day (2000 x 7%), totaling approximately 700 calories over five days (Haman & Muckenthaler, 2013). This reduces the net calories remaining for them, emphasizing the importance of conserving energy and efficiently sharing the limited food resources. Consequently, the total calories burned attributable to the temperature rise over five days would be roughly 700 calories, diminishing the calories available from the potato chips accordingly.

Remaining Calories in the Potato Chips

The initial calorie content of the potato chips, based on typical nutritional labels, is approximately 150 calories per serving. Given that only one serving remains and that the chips are soggy with 2 grams of water, most of the inorganic components and moisture are likely to be present. If we consider the inorganic components are primarily water and minerals with minimal caloric contribution, then the total significant caloric content remains close to that of a single serving.

After accounting for caloric expenditure due to rising temperatures, the net remaining caloric value of the chips would be the original calories minus those burned in the environment. From the previous estimation, approximately 140 calories would be consumed by the environmental temperature increase over five days. As the chips initially provided 150 calories, and the environmental heat burns away a significant portion, the remaining calories would be marginal. Therefore, about 10 calories – effectively negligible – would remain for Ed and Trina’s consumption after the environmental heat effect.

Inorganic Components and Daily Consumption Value

Removing inorganic components from the potato chips essentially isolates the organic, caloric constituents available for energy. The inorganic fraction includes water, minerals, and other non-caloric minerals which contribute to total weight but not to caloric value. Based on typical nutritional data, approximately 80-85% of a potato chip's weight is water and inorganic mineral content, leaving roughly 15-20% as organic material that provides energy (USDA, 2019). If the remaining chip weight is 1 serving (say 28 grams for a standard serving), then about 4-6 grams are organic matter capable of contributing calories.

The calories provided per gram of potato chips are roughly 5.4 calories per gram, mostly from fats and carbohydrates (USDA, 2019). Removing inorganic components thus leaves a smaller amount of caloric energy per day. Dividing the remaining caloric content over the following days, Ed and Trina would have approximately 6-8 calories per gram multiplied by the remaining grams, distributed over the present and future days as part of their survival assessment. Essentially, the value per day remaining after inorganic removal is limited, emphasizing the importance of conserving this finite energy source for the immediate future rather than relying on it for extended periods.

Fat Content Available for Consumption

The fat content in potato chips, an essential factor for energy, flavor, and satiety, is typically around 40-50% of their total weight. Given the standard serving size of 28 grams, fat content could be approximately 12 grams, contributing about 108 calories solely from fat, considering that fat provides roughly 9 calories per gram (USDA, 2019). This fat reservoir is significant because it offers a dense energy source vital in survival situations, especially when caloric intake is limited.

Upon discovery, the fat available in the remaining potato chips would be around 12 grams, providing enough energy to sustain Ed and Trina for at least a brief period. This fat content is indispensable, as fats are metabolized more efficiently for energy in stressful conditions than carbohydrates or proteins, especially when water availability is limited (Frayn, 2010). Therefore, the fat present in the chips constitutes a critical nutritional resource, which, if conserved and utilized strategically, can prolong their survival until new nutrient sources are found.

Conclusion

In conclusion, environmental factors such as rising temperatures significantly influence caloric expenditure, which in turn impacts survival strategies. The remaining potato chips, after accounting for inorganic removal and environmental burn, provide minimal calories—approximately ten—a critical factor for Ed and Trina’s immediate survival. The substantial fat reserves remaining in the chips offer a dense energy source essential under circumstances of limited food supply. Effectively managing these resources based on an understanding of their nutritional composition and environmental stresses forms the cornerstone of their survival plan.

References

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