For this project we started off by learning about how to come up with a good question. A good questions is specific, answerable, and clear. After we found this out, we researched in depth to find out how to answer a good question and the process of answering one. The process is, ask a good question, create a mathematical framework, do the math, and reflect on your result. My question was; which is more eco-friendly, gas fuel or E10?
In the beginning of this project, I started off with a very broad question; How does the pollution of gasoline engines compare to the pollution of coal required to produce the electricity used by electric vehicles? I found this question very hard to answer and not having a specific answer. I did lots of research on this and found that
According to EPA motor vehicles collectively cause 75% of carbon monoxide pollution in the US
On-Road vehicles cause one third of the air pollution that produces smog
Transportation causes 27% of green house gas emissions
Coal plants are responsible for 42% of US mercury emissions
After researching and realizing that this question was way to broad, I started thinking and came up with a new question; How does the carbon emissions of Gasoline compare to that of Ethanol (E10)? I found this question was more specific and would lead me to a more exact answer in the end. I then did a great amount of research finding out the specifics on Gasoline and (E10). Here is what I found;
About 19.6 pounds of CO2 are produced from burning a gallon of gasoline that does not contain ethanol
About 12.7 pounds of CO2 are produced when a gallon of pure ethanol is combusted
About 17.6 pounds of CO2 are produced when a gallon of E10 is burned
A gallon of gasoline provides one-third more energy than a gallon of ethanol
Ethanol causes damage to fuel systems
Ethanol cuts a car's greenhouse gas emissions
This gave me the ability to compare the pounds of CO2 caused by gasoline and by ethanol. I came to the conclusion that even though gasoline is much more efficient, E10 is much more eco-friendly. This is because gasoline produces 2 pounds more of CO2 than ethanol does making ethanol a safer, healthier choice.