In 2009, President Obama proposed an initiative to decrease our country's energy consumption and dependence on fossil fuels. One key to this plan was to decrease the amount of energy used to heat and cool our homes through government incentives. The EPA estimates that the average American household spends over $1000 annually for heating and…

The development of nations depends on energy consumption, which is generally based on fossil fuels. This dependency produces irreversible and dramatic effects on the environment, e.g. large greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn cause global warming and climate changes, responsible for the rise of the sea level, floods, and other extreme weather…

This laboratory investigation challenges students to synthesize, analyze, and compare viable alternative fuels to Diesel No. 2 using a renewable resource, as well as readily available reagents and supplies. During the experiment, students synthesized biodiesel from soybean oil in an average percent yield of 83.8 ± 6.3%. They then prepared fuel…

As China and the United States become the top two carbon emitters in the world, it is crucial for citizens in both countries to construct a sophisticated understanding of energy consumption issues. This interview study examines how U.S. and Chinese students compare in explaining and arguing about two critical energy consumption issues: burning…

Describes a course structured around nuclear energy, fossil fuel energy, food energy, and the population explosion. The course uses classroom discussion and laboratory sessions to stress basic chemical principles and relevance to the student. A topical outline is included. (GS)

Nowadays there is a concern to improve the quality of education by including an interdisciplinary approach of concepts and their integration in the curriculum of scientific disciplines. The development of microbial fuel cells as a potential alternative for production of renewable energies gives undergraduate students the challenge of integrating…

Energy is a valuable resource that comes in many different forms. In "Energy: 25 Projects Investigate Why We Need Power and How We Get It" kids ages 9-12 learn about the history and science of the world's sources of energy, from nonrenewable fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power.…

This resource guide consists of activities related to 26 separate energy topics (one for each letter of the alphabet). Topic areas are: approaches to problems related to energy shortages; biomass; conserving energy; demand for energy in the year 2000; economics and energy; fossil fuels; geothermal energy; hydroelectric power; insulation; energy…

This study explored 30 Grade 1 to 6 (6-12 years old) Thai students' existing ideas about energy. The study employed the Interview about Event (IAE) approach. During IAE, the cards of an event or things were showed to students in order to probe their views of energy concepts. Findings indicated that young students held various alternative…

This 17-chapter book (which may also be used as a textbook) provides a thorough insight into the basic facts about energy as well as new and transitional technologies such as synthetic fuels. The book also helps examine the economic, societal, and political aspects of the energy situation in detail, consistently providing technical data to support…

This packet of units is designed to focus on the technological aspects of energy. Four units are presented, with from 1-4 lessons included in each unit. Units include: (1) basic concepts and applications of energy; (2) steps and processes of energy production and transmission; (3) fuel acquisition; and (4) energy futures and application of…

This annual report includes a list of commission membership and staff; a map of state Indian reservations; a table of reservation acreages and populations; a list of commission meetings and those in attendance; a list of 1986-87 commission publications and an agency financial report. A section of "commission highlights" summarizes nine…

This annotated list of films focuses on fourteen subject areas: 1) Atomic Energy/Fuel/Power; 2) Automation/Computer/Data Processing; 3) Biochemical Research/Behavioral Sciences; 4) Communications/Transportation; 5) Concepts; 6) Ecology/Pollution/Weather Modification; 7) Education; 8) Food/Population Control; 9) Ocean/Ocean Sciences; 10)…

The corporate control of energy production and the reach of fossil capital into civil and political society can be understood as a regime of obstruction that is preventing necessary action on climate change and blocking a just energy transition. In addition to overt forms of economic power and influence, hegemonic power is central to the fossil…

A survey of adults that shows considerable misunderstanding of two major ideas--that there is no energy in fuels and burning involves two stages--is discussed. Proposed are fundamental changes in the way ideas about burning are introduced to children. (KR)