Question
A fully loaded and fueled space shuttle can weigh close to 4.5 million pounds at liftoff. What is this weight expressed in tons?
Ask by Whittaker Mcfarlane. in the United States
Mar 12,2025
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Tutor-Verified Answer
Answer
The fully loaded and fueled space shuttle weighs 2,250 tons.
Solution
1. The weight of the space shuttle is given as \(4.5 \times 10^6\) pounds.
2. We know that \(1\) ton \(= 2000\) pounds.
3. To convert the weight from pounds to tons, we divide the pounds by \(2000\):
\[
\frac{4.5 \times 10^6 \text{ pounds}}{2000 \text{ pounds/ton}}.
\]
4. Performing the division:
\[
\frac{4.5 \times 10^6}{2000} = \frac{4500000}{2000} = 2250 \text{ tons}.
\]
5. Therefore, the fully loaded and fueled space shuttle weighs \(2250\) tons.
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A fully loaded and fueled space shuttle weighing approximately 4.5 million pounds converts to about 2,250 tons, since there are 2,000 pounds in a ton. That’s like hefting around the weight equivalent of around 20 elephants taking off into space! When you think about it, this massive weight isn’t just from the shuttle itself – it includes the fuel, cargo, and even the astronauts onboard. The sheer engineering that allows such a heavy vehicle to escape Earth’s gravity is a testament to human innovation and determination, making space travel possible!
