General Efficiency

Similar to the body efficiency, the efficiency of any energetic process can be
described as the amount of energy converted from the input form to the desired
form divided by the original input amount. The following chart outlines the
efficiencies of various systems at converting energy various forms. The chart
does not account for the cost, hazard risk, or environmental impact associated
with the required fuel, construction, maintenance, and by-products of each
system.

The Efficiency of the Human Body Compared to Other Systems  **System** |
**Input Energy Form** |  **Desired Output Form** |  **Max Efficiency**  
---|---|---|---  
Human Body  |  Chemical Potential  |  Mechanical  |  25 %  
Automobile Engine  |  Chemical Potential  |  Mechanical  |  25 %  
Coal/Oil/Gas Fired Stream Turbine Power Plants  |  Chemical Potential  |
Electrical  |  47%  
Combined Cycle Gas Power Plants  |  Chemical Potential  |  Electrical  |  58 %  
Biomass/Biogas  |  Kinetic  |  Electrical  |  40%  
Nuclear  |  Kinetic  |  Electrical  |  36%  
Solar-Photovoltaic Power Plant  |  Sunlight (Electromagnetic)  |  Electrical
|  15%  
Solar-Thermal Power Plant  |  Sunlight (Electromagnetic)  |  Electrical  |
23%  
Hydroelectric and Tidal Power Plants  |  Gravitational Potential  |
Electrical  |  90%+  
  
[3]  [4]  [5]

Check out the energy systems tab in this simulation to visualize different
energy conversion systems

[ ![energy-forms-and-
changes-600.png](https://phys.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/14082/energy-
forms-and-changes-600.png?revision=1) ](https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/energy-
forms-and-changes/energy-forms-and-changes_en.jar)

* * *

  1. [ "The maximum work and mechanical efficiency of human muscles, and their most economical speed" ](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1405410/?page=1) by  A. V. Hill  , [ National Library of Medicine ](https://www.nlm.nih.gov) , [ U.S. National institutes of Health ](https://www.nih.gov) ↵    

  2. [ "MPG of a Human" ](https://dothemath.ucsd.edu/2011/11/mpg-of-a-human) by [ Tom Murphy ](https://tmurphy.physics.ucsd.edu) , [ Do The Math ](https://dothemath.ucsd.edu) , [ UCSD Physics Department ](http://physics.ucsd.edu) ↵    

  3. "Managing Water in the West: Hydroelectric Power" by Bureau of Reclimation, [ U.S. Department of the Interior ](https://www.doi.gov) ↵    

  4. [ "Efficiency in Electricity Generation" ](https://www.netl.doe.gov/File%20Library/Research/Coal/energy%20systems/gasification/gasifipedia/EEGJulyrevisedFINAL1-2003-030-0548-2.pdf) by  EURELECTRIC “Preservation of Resources” Working Group’s “Upstream” Sub-Group in collaboration with VGB  , [ Union of the Electricity Industry ](https://www.doi.gov) ↵    

  5. [ "Efficiency of Energy Conversion Devices" ](https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee102/node/1938) by [ John E. Dutton e-Education Institute ](https://www.e-education.psu.edu) , [ Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences ](https://www.ems.psu.edu) ↵    

* * *

This page titled [ 10.9: Efficiency of the Human Body
](https://phys.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Conceptual_Physics/Body_Physics_-
_Motion_to_Metabolism_\(Davis\)/10%3A_Powering_the_Body/10.09%3A_Efficiency_of_the_Human_Body)
is shared under a [ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc-sa/4.0) license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by [ Lawrence
Davis ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-davis-78b46930/) ( [ OpenOregon
](http://openoregon.org) ) via [ source content
](https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/bpsupmat/) that was edited to the style
and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available
upon request.

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