Large silkworm cocoons have a diameter of between 1.5 and 2 cm. Measuring diameters at the base of the image, I found values between 47 and 60. That corresponds pretty closely to the range of 1.5 to 2 cm. Assume 47 pixels = 1.5 cm. The photograph is 1851 pixels wide. That corresponds to 59 cm, or about 2 feet in width. The pile is larger than that. If you create a triangle enclosing the pile, the triangle is 2800 pixels wide. That corresponds to 89 cm or 35 inches wide. Lay a yardstick on the floor and that is the width of the pile of silkworms in the photograph. Estimating the height using the angle (slightly different on each side), the pile is about 16 inches high.
There is a difference between an estimate and an assumption. The estimate is based on known facts (dimensions and weight of cocoons) and geometry. Because of uncertainties in factors such as the dimensions and weight of cocoons, we end up with an approximate range, not a precise value. It is unlikely that this estimate is wrong by a factor of 2. That is to say, the pile looks to be about 36 inches wide, but it is NOT 18 or 72 inches wide. It looks to be about 16 inches high, but it is NOT 8 or 32 inches high.
A metric ton of uncompressed cocoons would generate a pile about 20 feet in diameter and about 6 feet in height and would yield about 100 kilos of reeled silk.
The pile of silkworm cocoons shown in the photograph will yield less than 10 kilos of reeled silk. Not impressed ...
The KBLB way.
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