DAPCEP Saturday Class

Principal Investigators

Dan Maggio
University of Detroit Mercy

Project Dates:

11/22/2006 to 08/31/2010

Project year: Year 4

MIOH-UTC Project Identifier: K-12 -2; Project

Focus Area:

Educational: Alternative Fuels

Abstract:

Powering the Car of Tomorrow

Description:

Experts predict that worldwide oil production will peak sometime within the next few years. With the specter of diminishing gasoline supplies looming on the horizon, engineers are designing alternate ways to power automobiles.

Through hands-on activities, students will learn about the fundamentals of propulsion systems, fuel origination and production, performance characteristics of alternative fuels, energy flow analysis, technological issues, and sustainability of the alternatives.

The pros and cons of ethanol, biodiesel, natural gas, hydrogen, and electricity as automotive energy sources will be highlighted. Students will also use mathematical models for predicting the depletion rate of nonrenewable resources.

Activity 1: The End of Oil?
Activity 2: Alternative Energy for Automobiles – Possibilities for the Future
Activity 3: Fuel from Crops – Alcohols and Biodiesel
Activity 4: Hydrogen - the Silver Bullet?
Activity 5: Natural Gas and Electricity
Activity 6: Which Fuel is the Best?

9th through 11th grades