New York Science Grade 8Unit 2: Humans in their EnvironmentsHYBRID VEHICLESIntroductionYou probably know that emissions of gases from automobiles are responsible for up to 80 percent of the air pollution in large cities. Many communities have passed laws that require automobile manufacturers to reduce emissions to help combat air pollution. One way to reduce emissions is to burn less gasoline per mile traveled. Some of the more efficient vehicles available today can travel 40 to 45 miles per gallon of gasoline. Another way to reduce emissions is to use alternative fuels. Research on alternative fuels that produce less air pollution is already underway. Automobile manufacturers also are researching electric vehicles, which do not produce any emissions. However, all-electric vehicles are not yet practical for long-distance use. Most electric vehicles are powered by batteries, and can only go 80 miles or so before the batteries need to be recharged. Recharging takes up to 8 hours. Recently, several automobile manufacturers have introduced vehicles known as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). These vehicles can travel up to 70 miles per gallon of gasoline, and they produce one-half the emissions of a standard vehicle. What are hybrid electric vehicles? How do they work? How do they help reduce air pollution? In this WebQuest, you will explore the topic of hybrid electric vehicles and find the answers to these questions. TaskYour job in this WebQuest is to discover what hybrid electric vehicles are, and find out how these vehicles work. You will explore the reasons that automobile manufacturers are producing these vehicles, and how these vehicles can help reduce air pollution. You will learn about the types of hybrid vehicles, and how each type works. You will also find out the advantages and disadvantages of each type of hybrid electric vehicle. Finally, you will answer a set of questions about hybrid electric vehicles to demonstrate what you have learned. ResourcesLook at the web sites given here to find the information that will enable you to answer questions about hybrid electric vehicles.
Time1 class period for Internet research and answering the set of questions ProcessRead through the following set of questions before you begin your Internet research. As you explore each site, look for answers to the questions. Questions about Hybrid Electric Vehicles
ConclusionIn the process of completing this WebQuest, you've become informed about hybrid electric vehicles. You have learned about the advantages of a hybrid electric vehicle as compared to a conventional vehicle, and by what amount HEVs can reduce emissions that result in air pollution. You have learned more about how HEVs work, and about the different types of HEVs. You have developed research skills as you explored the web sites given and identified the relevant information to answer the set of questions above. Would you recommend that people purchase hybrid electric vehicles? |  |
