All Fermi answers
Fermi #96 · Question 1

How many ruby-throated hummingbirds would it take to weigh as much as a Hummer H2?

Explore the official answer and the simple reasoning behind this Fermi estimate.

1QUESTION 1 OF 3

Answer & explanation

The official answer, with Fermi’s reasoning step by step.

A Hummer H2

A Hummer H2

A yellow Hummer H2 on a brick driveway with its back door open, and a man in a varsity jacket standing in front of it with his arms out

Illustration from Fermi.gg

Answer & explanation

Official answer

830,000

hummingbirds

How to estimate it

Fermi’s official “Napkin math”

The H2 is the big Hummer SUV from the 2000s, heavier than a full-size pickup. Maybe 6,000 pounds. How heavy is a hummingbird? About a penny, call it a tenth of an ounce.

Hummer H2
~6,000 lb
6,000 × 16 oz
= 96,000 oz
One hummingbird
~0.1 oz
96,000 ÷ 0.1
≈ 960,000

Rounded assumptions may give a slightly different estimate. The official answer above is the game’s reference value.

Source calculation & reference
Hummer H2 curb weight (2003 spec)
2,909 kg (6,400 lb)
Average ruby-throated hummingbird
÷ 3.5 g
2,909,000 ÷ 3.5
≈ 831,000
≈
830,000

Reference cited by Fermi: Journey North hummingbird weights; Hummer H2 factory spec via Auto123

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