To calculate the energy required to melt 1 ton of aluminum, we need to consider the heat of fusion (latent heat) of aluminum and the amount of aluminum we are dealing with.
1. Heat of fusion of aluminum: This is the amount of energy required to change aluminum from solid to liquid at its melting point without changing its temperature. For aluminum, the heat of fusion is approximately 397kJ/kg.
2. Mass of aluminum: 1 ton of aluminum is equal to 1000 kilograms.
The formula to calculate the energy Q required to melt the aluminum is:
Q = m×Lf
where:
- Q is the energy required,
- mmm is the mass of the aluminum (in kg),
- Lf is the heat of fusion of aluminum (in kJ/kg).
Using the values given:
Q = 1000 kg×397 kJ/kg
Q = 397,000 kJ
Therefore, the energy required to melt 1 ton of aluminum is 397,000 kJ
To determine how much electricity will be used to melt 1 ton of aluminum, we need to consider the energy required (in kJ) and convert it to kilowatt-hours (kWh), which is a common unit of electrical energy.
1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) is equal to 3,600 kilojoules (kJ).
Given:
- The energy required to melt 1 ton of aluminum is 397,000 kJ.
The formula to convert energy in kJ to kWh is:
Energy(kWh) = Energy(kJ) / 3600
Using the values given:
Energy(kWh) = 397,000kJ / 3600
Energy(kWh) = 110.28 kWh
Therefore, to melt 1 ton of aluminum, approximately 110.28 kWh of electricity will be used.