As an estimate, 250 gpm adds how many tons of water per minute to the structure?

• A. 1/2 ton
• B. 1 ton
• C. 1.5 tons
• D. 2 tons

Answer: (D)

The idea is to convert a flow rate in gallons per minute to a mass flow rate in tons per minute using the weight of water and the ton definition. One gallon of water weighs about 8.34 pounds, and one ton is 2000 pounds. So convert gallons to pounds, then pounds to tons per minute: tons per minute = (gpm × 8.34) ÷ 2000.

For 250 gpm: 250 × 8.34 = 2085 pounds per minute. 2085 ÷ 2000 ≈ 1.04 tons per minute. So the estimate is about 1 ton per minute, not 2 tons.