CAN YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION?

by Terry 63 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  tijkmo

  so if i had 1 potato and its water content was reduced by 1% this would half its weight would it?...genuine question

  is this a theoretical problem or as someone else asked would this be borne out by weighing.
• 

  Terry

  Imagine a set of weights for dumbells in a box.

  There are 100 of them. The box weighs 100lbs.

  This means each individual weight is only 1lb.

  Not too hard so far.

  Let us say one of the weights is red and all the rest are black.

  1% of the weights are red. 99% are black.

  The next day you come in and find a different box.

  Each weight weighs 1/2 lb. in this box.

  Two of these weights are red and the rest are black.

  2% are red. 98% are black.

  The total weight of the box with all 100 weights would be what?

  50lbs.

  Now, apply this to the first problem.
• 

  tijkmo

  This means each individual weight is only 1lb.

  Not too hard so far.

  Let us say one of the weights is red and all the rest are black.

  1% of the weights are red. 99% are black.

  The next day you come in and find a different box.

  Each weight weighs 1/2 lb. in this box.

  but these weights have been reduced by 50 % so irrespective of colour the total weight is half

  the potatoes have only 1% of their water content and thus 1% of their total weight

  interesting use of the word dumbells btw.
• 

  PopeOfEruke

  Tj

  I just checked the potato charts and this is what I found:

  In the original bag each potato weighed a kilo (or a pound, whatever. Let's say a kilo as it's easier)

  A 1-kilo potato consisted of 10 grams of starch and 990 grams of water.

  990 grams water 99%
  10 grams starch 1%
  ---------------------------------------------
  1000 grams 100%

  After you dry it only the water disappears but the starch stays at 10 grams. Then you have to ask, How much does a potato weigh that has 10 grams of starch and 98% water?

  490 grams starch 98%
  10 grams starch 2%
  --------------------------------------
  500 grams 100%

  So it really works! Each individual potato loses half its weight!!
  If you DOUBLE the percentage of starch (1% -> 2%) then you have to HALVE the total weight. Wierd isn't it!

  If in the original bag they pototoes contained 98% water then they would have weighed:

  980 grams water 98%
  20 grams starch 2%
  -------------------------------------------
  1000 grams 100%