Quiz
The Student Guide and Science of Coal – Starter Pack contain the quiz.
Answer Key: Q1:B Q2:A Q3:C Q4:A
Reading and Extended Reading
The Student Guide contains the Science of Coal – Reading and Extended Reading info sheets.
Reading Answer Key
- Dead plants that were buried under dirt and rock millions of years ago.
- Because it takes millions of years to form and cannot be replaced quickly.
- Lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, anthracite.
- A layer of coal found underground.
- Surface mining and underground mining.
- It involves digging deep tunnels, which can collapse and contain harmful gases.
- To make electricity.
- Air pollution (like sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide), and acid rain or climate change.
- Because other energy sources like natural gas and renewables are being used more.
- Blasting away the tops of mountains to get coal; it destroys land and pollutes rivers.
Extended Reading Answer Key
Multiple Choice:
- C – Peat
- D – Anthracite
- C – It takes millions of years to form
- B – Open-pit mining
- D – United States
True/False:
- False
- False
- False
- True
- True
Short Answer:
- Health risks include black lung disease and methane explosions.
- Coking coal is used to make coke, which is essential in steel production.
- Acid mine drainage pollutes nearby rivers and streams with acidic water and heavy metals.
- Burning coal releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere.
- Coal is being replaced by natural gas and renewable energy in many countries due to environmental concerns.
Computation
The Student Guide contains the Science of Coal – Computation activity.
Answer Key: Q1: China: [(4939 – 4883) / 4883] x 100 = 1.1%, India: [(1315 – 1245) / 1245] x 100 = 5.6%
Q2: ASEAN: [(491 – 457) / 457] x 100 = 7.4%
Q3: 2023: (457 / 8687) x 100 = 5.3%, 2027: (567 / 8873) x 100 = 6.4%
Q4: China: (9439 x 109 kg) / (1.409 x 109 people) = 3505 kg/person, India: (1315 x 109 kg) / (1.451 x 109 people) = 906 kg/person, U.S.: (368 x 109 kg) / (340.1 x 106 people) = 1082 kg/person
Q5: Use the formula: [(2027 value – 2023 value) / 2023 value] x 100
China: 2.5%
India: 4.2%
ASEAN: 24.1%
U.S.: -14.2%
EU: -31.1%
Rest of World: -4.3%
Q6: 8873 Mt – 8687 Mt = +186 Mt increase
Data Set
The Student Guide contains the Science of Coal – Data Set.
Answer Key: Question 1: 1950 – United Kingdom; 2000 – United States; 2023 – China.
Question 2: Answers will vary. (Example: Countries that are currently developed like the U.K., U.S. and Germany, saw a steady rise in emissions through the industrial revolution into the 20th century, while currently developing countries, like China and India, did not start to increase their emissions until the late 20th century. In 2023, the UK, US and Germany have reached their peak emissions and have since shown steady decline, while China and India continue to steadily increase.)
Question 3: Answers will vary. (Example: The U.S. is a developed country and experienced rapid industrialization in the late 19th century and reached peak emissions in the early 20th century. It has since started transitioning away from coal in many sectors, toward natural gas and lower-emission energy options. China is a developing country and is still in its industrialization phase, starting its emissions increase in the late 20th century, close to one hundred years after the U.S. began increasing its coal emissions.)
Question 4: Answers will vary. (Example: Positive impacts include industrial growth that improves incomes and infrastructure. Negative impacts include worsening air pollution and higher greenhouse gas emissions.)
Question 5: Answers will vary. (Example: The United Kingdom was one of the first industrialized nations, so its coal use peaked early. Over time, the UK phased out coal in favor of oil, gas, nuclear and other lower-emission options.)
Economic Trade-Offs Simulation Hands-On
The Student Guide contains the Economic Trade-Offs Simulation – Student calculations and questions.
Calculations Spreadsheet
| Plant Size | Scenario | Annualized Base Cost ($/year) | Annualized Scrubber Cost ($/year) | Operating Cost | Adjusted SO2 Emissions (tons) | Annual Emission Penalties ($) | Health and Env. Impact Cost ($) | Initial Profit ($)(OR GROSS PROFIT) | Annual Net Income ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| small | no scrubber | 4000000 | 0 | 2275000 | 5000 | 500000 | 2000000 | 6500000 | -2275000 |
| small | half-scrubber | 4000000 | 375000 | 2275000 | 2500 | 250000 | 1000000 | 6500000 | -1400000 |
| small | full scrubber | 4000000 | 750000 | 2275000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6500000 | -525000 |
| medium | no scrubber | 9600000 | 0 | 4875000 | 15000 | 15000000 | 6000000 | 19500000 | -15975000 |
| medium | half-scrubber | 9600000 | 720000 | 4875000 | 7500 | 7500000 | 3000000 | 19500000 | -6195000 |
| medium | full scrubber | 9600000 | 1440000 | 4875000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19500000 | 3585000 |
| large | no scrubber | 24000000 | 0 | 7800000 | 40000 | 40000000 | 16000000 | 52000000 | -35800000 |
| large | half-scrubber | 24000000 | 1500000 | 7800000 | 20000 | 20000000 | 8000000 | 52000000 | -9300000 |
| large | full scrubber | 24000000 | 3000000 | 7800000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52000000 | 17200000 |
Step 8 Final Analysis Answer Key
Question 1: Answers will vary based on specific plant size and scenario calculations. (Example: At first, after paying for just the capital and operating costs, my plant was making a good profit. But once I added the penalties for sulfur dioxide emissions, the profit dropped. After including the health and environmental cost, I had no profit at all and lost a lot of money.)
Question 2: Answers will vary based on specific plant size and scenario calculations. (Example: My plant wasn’t financially successful, because of the health and environmental cost. If I didn’t have to pay that cost, then my plant could have made a profit. In the real world, I could say that my plant would be financially successful, because the plant wouldn’t have to pay that cost and would pass the health and environmental cost to society.)
Question 3: Answers will vary based on specific plant size and scenario calculations. (Example: One trade-off was between installing a full scrubber (which was better for the environment) and paying a higher cost upfront. Another trade-off was with the plant size. A large plant made more electricity and money, but without proper scrubbers, it also caused more pollution and damage to the environment.)
Question 4: Answers will vary based on specific plant size and scenario calculations. (Example: Yes, I would evaluate a large plant with a full scrubber. Even though it costs a lot at first, it also avoids most penalties and health costs. Over time, it might be the best choice both for profit and the environment.)
Question 5: Answers will vary.
Question 6: Scrubbers reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by cleaning the exhaust gases. Full scrubbers remove almost all of the pollution, but they are very expensive. Partial scrubbers are cheaper, but don’t clean as much. Using scrubbers lowers the penalties and health costs, but increases the upfront costs.
Question 7: Answers will vary. (Example: A power plant might choose a partial scrubber because it still reduces pollution, but costs less than a full one. It helps avoid some penalties and health costs while still saving money compared to the most expensive option.)
Question 8: Answers will vary. (Example: Large plants make more electricity and money, and so they might be better able to afford full scrubbers. Small plants don’t make as much money and have higher operating costs, so installing expensive scrubbers is harder for them.)