How much weight does water contribute to a fire building for every 250 gallons per minute applied?

The correct answer is based on the understanding that water weighs approximately 8.34 pounds per gallon. When a fire engine applies water at a rate of 250 gallons per minute, you can calculate the total weight of the water being used by multiplying the number of gallons by the weight per gallon.

To break this down, first, you multiply 250 gallons by 8.34 pounds per gallon:

250 gallons/minute x 8.34 pounds/gallon = 2,085 pounds/minute.

While this calculation results in an approximate weight of 2,085 pounds, the closest answer provided in the options rounds this to 2,000 pounds. Therefore, selecting the option that reflects a reasonable approximation of the water's weight being applied—recognizing the context of fire-fighting operations and their practical measures—is essential. The figure of 2,000 pounds helps to provide fire personnel with a general understanding of the weight of water being introduced into a building and assists in considering structural loading and safety during firefighting efforts.