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 Chapter 10: Energy Sources

How much does energy really cost? You know that it costs money to produce energy. Using energy can also have an impact on the environment. For example, coal costs less than some other fuels. However, combustion is a chemical reaction that can produce pollutants, and burning coal produces more pollution than burning other fossil fuels. How do energy providers convince consumers that their service is the most cost-efficient and the least polluting?

What are the costs and environmental impacts of various energy-producing sources?

Form a hypothesis about which energy source you think will have the lowest cost and which will have the least impact on the environment.

Goals Identify three energy sources that people use. Determine the cost of each source. Describe the environmental impact of each source. Describe which energy source is most cost-efficient as well as the one which causes the least environmental impact. Data Sources Weblinks View Student Data

Plan Think about the various sources of power used in different areas of the United States and make a list of possible energy sources to investigate. Find the cost of 1 kWh of electric energy generated by three of these energy sources. Determine whether your sources have a negative impact on the environment. Which sources are renewable? Use your data to create a table of energy sources, costs, and impacts. Write a summary describing which of your three energy sources is the best for producing 1 kWh of electric energy. Consider the cost of the energy and the environmental impact. Provide facts from your research to support your conclusions. Do Make sure your teacher approves your plan and your data table before you proceed.

Of the energy sources you investigated, which is the most expensive to use? The least expensive? Which energy source do you think has the most impact on the environment? The least impact? Post your data in the form below. Compare your data to that of other students. Of the energy sources you investigated, which is the least expensive energy source? Which is the best choice to use? Why or why not? Of the energy choices you investigated, how did the environmental impact of that power influence your choice of the best energy solution? Which data support your decision?

Results

Energy Sources Energy Source Cost per kWh Environmental Impacts Energy Source Cost per kWh) Environmental Impacts Energy Source Cost per kWh Environmental Impacts * City: * State: Select Your State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Not Applicable * School:

* required