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1 vote
Energy Source

Stretched rubber band
A bowling ball 1 m above the ground
1 AA battery
1 gallon of gasoline
Energy (J)
5 × 10-2
5×102
2×104
1.3 × 108
x
ANALYZE What patterns, if any, can you identify from the
Energy Source table? What conclusions can you draw from the
patterns or lack of patterns?

Energy Source Stretched rubber band A bowling ball 1 m above the ground 1 AA battery-example-1

1 Answer

4 votes

The clear observation is that the energy from gasoline is greater than the energy of all the other sources.

Why does gasoline produce so much energy when burned?

Hydrocarbon fuels like gasoline are mostly made of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Gasoline burns when it reacts with atmospheric oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water, and energy.

When burned, hydrocarbons with a higher carbon to hydrogen ratio release more energy. The carbon-hydrogen ratio in gasoline molecules is typically balanced, which promotes effective combustion and energy release.

User Erix
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