1. Module 6

1.17. Page 4

Module 6 Lesson 3

Module 6—Petrochemicals

Reflect and Connect

An image shows a corn cob standing upright with a gasoline pump hose and nozzle attached to its right side.

© James Steidl/shutterstock

 

Ethanol is being championed around the world as a great fuel additive for blending with gasoline. One day, ethanol might even be a substitute for gasoline. Ethanol is environmentally sound because it can be made through yeast fermentation from renewable resources such as corn, sugar cane, and switch grass.

 

It may seem ideal to use a renewable resource to make ethanol; however, there are concerns about how much land the process requires. Some people argue that the land used to grow the plants for ethanol production could be used to grow food for the world’s hungry.

 

A greener option for ethanol production may be to use waste products. Research is being done to find a way to use agricultural waste (such as straw) or pulp and paper waste (such as wood chips) for ethanol production. This would resolve the land-use concern and would make use of an otherwise unused waste product.

 

Try This
 
Cellulosic Ethanol

 

TR 1. Take a deeper look into the production of ethanol as a biofuel. Open “Web Activity: Web Quest—Cellulosic Ethanol.” Read the instructions and discuss which parts of the project you will be responsible for with your teacher. Complete the requirements for the activity as described in the document. Go to the website for the textbook if you need live links to the websites and documents listed. Information to help you find the activity on the website is contained in the print version linked into this paragraph.

 

When you have completed the activity, contact your teacher for further instructions on submitting and/or sharing your presentation. Save a copy of your work and presentation in your course folder.

 

Module 6: Lesson 3 Assignment


Retrieve the copy of the Module 6: Lesson 3 Assignment that you saved to your computer earlier in this lesson. Complete Part 2 of the Assignment. To complete this part you will need to review the information collected for your presentation in TR 1. You may also be able to review the presentations of other students by using the discussion area for your class.

 

Submit your completed Module 6: Lesson 3 Assignment to your teacher.