Lesson 4.6: The Bigger Problem

On August 14, 2003, about 50 million Americans and Canadians were without electricity for many hours when a power line in Ohio touched a tree, resulting in a massive power failure. 

Many of the power plants that produce electricity use gas, coal, or nuclear fuel.  Demand for electricity is growing.  What kinds of problems are resulting from increased power demands?  What are some solutions?  

Read the investigation The Bigger Problem on pages 148 and 149 in your textbook. Then, respond to the questions below. 

Question 1. What fuel is used to produce most of the energy used in Canada? 

Question 2. What are the two environmental problems that are a result of energy production? 

Question 3. What are two ways that we can deal with these environmental problems?

Question 4. What are four sources of energy described in the pictures on pages 148 and 149.

Question 5. What is a Ballard fuel cell?

 

Check your answers with those that follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers to Questions:

Question 1. What fuel is used to produce most of the energy used in Canada? 

Fossil fuel is used to produce most of the energy used in Canada.  The main fossil fuels are natural gas, coal, and oil.

Question 2. What are the two environmental problems that are a result of energy production?  

The two environmental problems that are a result of energy production are air pollution and global climate change.

Question 3. What are two ways that we can deal with these environmental problems?

* We can reduce the amount of energy that we use by using fewer machines and switching to more efficient machines. 
* We can also reduce energy consumption by turning off any machine that is not being used, such as turning off lights that are not being used.
*We can use energy from sources that do not use fossil fuels to produce the energy such as wind and solar energy.

Question 4. What are four sources of energy described in the pictures on pages 148 and 149.

The four sources of energy described in the pictures are
- wind
- solar
- hydrogen
- muscle power

Question 5. What is a Ballard fuel cell?

A Ballard fuel cell is an innovative machine that converts hydrogen and oxygen to electricity.  


Now, do Assignment 7D.  Page forward to access the assignment.