College Physics by Openstax Chapter 1 Problem 15: Solving for the number of heartbeats of a person with the correct significant figure


Problem: (a) Suppose that a person has an average heart rate of 72.0 beats/min. How many beats does he or she have in 2.0 y?
(b) In 2.00 y?
(c) In 2.000 y?


Part a

This is a problem on rounding off. Take note that 72.0 has three significant figures, 2.0 has two significant figures, 2.00 has three significant figures, and 2.000 has four significant figures.

Convert 72 beats/min to beats/year.

\begin{align*}
72 \ \text{beats/min} & = \left(\frac{72.0\:\text{beats}}{1\:\bcancel{\text{min}}}\right)\left(\frac{60.0\:\bcancel{\text{min}}}{1.00\:\bcancel{\text{hr}}}\right)\left(\frac{24.0\:\bcancel{\text{hr}}}{1.00\:\bcancel{\text{day}}}\right)\left(\frac{365.25\:\bcancel{\text{days}}}{1\:\text{year}}\right)\\
& =3.7869\times 10^7\:\text{beats/year}
\end{align*}

In 2 years, the number of beats of an average person is

\begin{align*}
& = 3.7869 \times 10^{7} \ \text{beats/year} \times 2 \ \text{years} \\
& = 7.5738 \times 10^7 \ \text{beats} 
\end{align*}

For part a, the answer is limited to 2.0 which is 2 significant figures. The answer is 7.6 \times 10^{7} \ \text{beats} \ \color{DarkOrange} \left( \text{Answer} \right).

Part b

For item letter b), the answer is limited by 2.00, which is 3 significant figures. The answer is 7.57\times 10^7\:\text{beats} \ \color{DarkOrange} \left( \text{Answer} \right).

Part c

For item letter c), the answe


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College Physics 2nd Edition Solutions Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction: The Nature of Science and Physics

Chapter 2: Kinematics

Chapter 3: Two-Dimensional Kinematics

Chapter 4: Dynamics: Force and Newton’s Law of Motion

Chapter 5: Further Applications of Newton’s Laws: Friction, Drag, and Elasticity

Chapter 6: Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation

Chapter 7: Work, Energy, and Energy Resources

Chapter 8: Linear Momentum and Collisions

Chapter 9: Statics and Torque

Chapter 10: Rotational Motion and Angular Momentum

Chapter 11: Fluid Mechanics

Chapter 12: Fluid Dynamics and Its Biological and Medical Applications

Chapter 13: Temperature, Kinetic Theory, and the Gas Laws

Chapter 14: Heat and Heat Transfer Methods

Chapter 15: Thermodynamics

Chapter 16: Oscillatory Motion and Waves

Chapter 17: Physics of Hearing

Chapter 18: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 19: Electric Potential and Electric Field

Chapter 20:
Electric Current, Resistance, and Ohm’s Law

Chapter 21: Circuits and DC Instruments

Chapter 22: Magnetism

Chapter 23: Electromagnetic Induction, AC Circuits, and Electrical Technologies

Chapter 24: Electromagnetic Waves

Chapter 25: Geometric Optics

Chapter 26: Vision and Optical Instrument

Chapter 27: Wave Optics

Chapter 28: Special Relativity

Chapter 29: Introduction to Quantum Physics

Chapter 30: Atomic Physics

Chapter 31: Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics

Chapter 32: Medical Applications of Nuclear Physics

Chapter 33: Particle Physics

Chapter 34: Frontiers of Physics