Cars and Air Quality Connections
Gas-powered cars release exhaust emissionsCopyright https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Automobile_exhaust_gas.jpg
This lesson introduces students to the concepts of air pollution from transportation and related health effects, plus vehicle solutions to help reduce air pollution and improve air quality.
First, students watch a video of vehicles in traffic and reflect on what they observed. Next, they learn about particulate matter (PM), a primary air pollutant, and do basic visual air quality and PM health effects assessments. Finally, students compare and contrast gas-powered and electric vehicles in relation to their energy sources and impacts on air quality.
Developing new technologies that use alternative energy sources is key to designing clean-energy cars, which help improve air quality.
Chemical engineers improve current battery technologies and develop new battery designs.
Electrical engineers design the electrical circuitry to charge the battery and distribute the electricity from the battery to the electric motor.
Many electric vehicles are made of newer materials that are lighter and stronger and may incorporate environmentally-friendly materials, which materials engineers develop, process, and test.
Mechanical engineers design, develop, and test mechanical devices in electric vehicles including electric motors, transmissions, drivetrains, and steering systems.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Recall that particulate matter (PM) affects air quality and people’s health.
- Recognize particulate matter (PM) come from gas-powered vehicle emissions and not from electric vehicles (EVs), which do not create or release any emissions (zero-emission).