Let’s suppose that potatoes (by weight) are 99% water and 1%, well, potato!
If we take a 100 pound bag of potatoes out and put them in the hot June sun, the water will begin to evaporate. If we monitor the moisture content (which starts at 99%, of course) and we weigh the potatoes just when the moisture content gets to 98% (precisely), then how much will the potatoes weigh at that moment?

How much will they weigh when the moisture content is 50%?

The original hundred pounds is 99 lbs water and 1 lb potato solids. When The moisture gets to 98%, the solids must account for 2%.
If 2%=1 lb, then 98%=49 lbs. Thus, at 98% moisture content, the potatoes weigh 50 lbs total.

When the moisture-to-solids ratio is 50%/50%, each must weigh one pound, so the total weight of these dried out potatoes is 2 lbs.

Posted by Bryan on 2003-06-04 08:40:30