La culture et les lumières ne sont pas compatibles avec l'analphabétisme scientifique.
Certains faits, constantes physiques et paramètres pertinents sont donnés ici afin de comprendre les dimensions qui sont en jeu.

Un tableur correspondant, contenant aussi des calculs selon la loi de Stefan Boltzmann, peut être téléchargé : Données de base

ConstantsValueUnits 
h (Planck's Constant) 6.6261·10-34 J s  
c (speed of light) 299'792'458 m s-1  
k (Boltzman's Constant) 1.3806·10-23 J K-1  
σ sigma (Stefan-Boltzman constant) 5.67·10-08 W m-2 K-4 E = A · e · σ · T4
Wien's Displacement Constant 2.89777·10-03 m K  
Π (Pi number) 3.141592654    
Avogadro number 6.022·10+23 mol-1  
R Gas constant 8.3144621 J K-1 mol-1 P · V = n · R · T
g Gravity acceleration 9.81 m s-2  
Absolute zero temperature, 0 K -273.15 °C  
Hours per year 8766 h a-1 365.25 · 24
Seconds per year 31'557'600 s a-1  

 

The Sun
Radius [m]Surface [m2]Volume [m3]Mass [kg] 
6.9600·10+08 6.0874·10+18 1.4123·10+27 1.989·10+30  
Temperature 5776 K    
Energy produced 3.8417·10+26 W 6.3109·10+07 W m-2
         
  Average Perihelion Aphelion  
Earth orbit 1.496·10+11 1.471·10+11 1.521·10+11 m
Solar irradiation 1366 1413 1321 W m-2

  

The Earth
Radius [m]Surface [m2]Volume [m3]Mass [kg]
6'371'009 5.1007·10+14 1.0832·10+21 5.97219·10+24
       
of which water 361'132'000 70.8%  
of which land 148'933'913 29.2%  
       
Average air pressure 98400 N m-2  
Mass of air 5.1163·10+18 kg  
  1.75816·10+17 kmol  

  

MaterialsVol % in air[g mol-1]Density ρ
[kg m-3]
standard
Specific
heat capacity Cp
[kJ kg-1 K-1]
 
Gases          
Nitrogen N2 78.08 28.01 1.1449 1.039  
Oxygen O2 20.95 32.00 1.308 0.919  
Argon Ar 0.932 39.95 1.6328 0.521  
Carbon dioxide CO2 0.0391 44.01 1.7989 0.843  
Air   29.10 1.275 1.005  
Carbon C   12.01      
Ice     917 211 at 0 °C
Water   18.02 1000 4183 at 4 °C
vaporization enthalpy 2444 kJ kg-1 at 288 K 2257 at 100 °C
fusion enthalpy 334 kJ kg-1      

  

Energy Production in 2012EJ, exajoule 
Sector1018 J 
Oil 172.4 32.7%
Gas 127.0 24.1%
Coal 156.6 29.7%
Nuclear 23.5 4.5%
Hydroelectric 34.8 6.6%
Biofuels 2.5 0.5%
Other Renewables 9.9 1.9%
Total World 526.7 100.0%
Regions
OECD 164.3 31.2%
Non-OECD 362.4 68.8%
European Union 31.2 5.9%
Europe 43.8 8.3%
Former Soviet Union† 72.9 13.8%
USA 77.6 14.7%
China 97.1 18.4%
India 14.4 2.7%
† Excludes states now in the European Union, source: BP

  

Energy content and conversion1 GJ1 kWh 
Joules 1'000'000'000 3'600'000 J
Electricity 277.8 1.00 kWh
British Thermal Unit 947'818 3'412 BTU
Ton of oil equivalent 0.02388 8.60·10-5 toe
Barrel of oil equivalent 0.1634 5.882·10-4 boe
Gasoline 21.28 0.0766 kg
  28.18 0.101 litre
Natural gas 26.25 0.094 m3
Hydrogen 78.40 0.28 m3
  7.052 0.0254 kg
Coal (Anthracite) 37.04 0.133 kg
Wood and Wood Waste 46.08 0.166 kg
Enriched Uranium 235 at 3.5% 0.2894 0.00104 g
e = m c2 1.111·10-8 4.00·10-11 g
Lead-Acid Battery 6849 24.7 kg
Li-Ion Battery 2174 7.83 kg
Water vaporization at 15 °C 409.2 1.47 kg
Water head, ?h=1000 m 101.9 0.37 m3