Students use bicycle gears and other hands-on investigations to discover how driving habits can affect fuel efficiency. They explore the concepts of drag and power and apply these concepts to driving habits that waste fuel. Students will learn why driving faster uses more fuel, what effect ‘jackrabbit starts’ have on fuel consumption, and how flat tires can waste energy.
Essential Questions
1. How can individuals reduce automotive fuel consumption?
2. How do gear ratios determine the fuel economy of a car?
Outline
Ask students to discuss with a partner whether a faster‐moving car is less efficient than a slower‐moving car. Have students think of ways that people waste gasoline that do not have to do with the design of the vehicle. Formulas Question: Regardless of the type of energy source, what would happen to the amount of power needed for a vehicle if the velocity is increased? Bike Demo
Which gear requires the most power, based on students observations of a bicycle’s gear system?
How students think this affects the amount of power that is required and consequently, how it impacts fuel economy.
How would it affect emissions output?
Demo with under inflated tires Respond to the following questions:
Is fuel efficiency a result of the vehicle’s design or of how the vehicle is driven?
List three driving behaviors that could be used to increase fuel economy at little or no cost to the driver and explain why those work.
Knowing what you now know, what factors would you consider when choosing a vehicle to drive if you have to pay for the fuel/energy it uses out of your own pocket? How would those factors be the same or different if you want to protect the environment?
Driving Behavior
Overview
Students use bicycle gears and other hands-on investigations to discover how driving habits can affect fuel efficiency. They explore the concepts of drag and power and apply these concepts to driving habits that waste fuel. Students will learn why driving faster uses more fuel, what effect ‘jackrabbit starts’ have on fuel consumption, and how flat tires can waste energy.Essential Questions
1. How can individuals reduce automotive fuel consumption?2. How do gear ratios determine the fuel economy of a car?
Outline
Ask students to discuss with a partner whether a faster‐moving car is less efficient than a slower‐moving car. Have students think of ways that people waste gasoline that do not have to do with the design of the vehicle.Formulas
Question: Regardless of the type of energy source, what would happen to the amount of power needed for a vehicle if the velocity is increased?
Bike Demo
- Which gear requires the most power, based on students observations of a bicycle’s gear system?
- How students think this affects the amount of power that is required and consequently, how it impacts fuel economy.
- How would it affect emissions output?
Demo with under inflated tiresRespond to the following questions:
- Is fuel efficiency a result of the vehicle’s design or of how the vehicle is driven?
- List three driving behaviors that could be used to increase fuel economy at little or no cost to the driver and explain why those work.
- Knowing what you now know, what factors would you consider when choosing a vehicle to drive if you have to pay for the fuel/energy it uses out of your own pocket? How would those factors be the same or different if you want to protect the environment?
Lesson information provided by Dash+