9781422284902

Car Science

SCIENCE 24/7

A nimal S cience C ar S cience C omputer S cience E nvironmental S cience F ashion S cience F ood S cience H ealth S cience

M usic S cience P hoto S cience S ports S cience T ravel S cience

SCIENCE 24/7

Car Science

Jane P. Gardner

Science Consultant: Russ Lewin science and Math educator

Mason Crest

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com

© 2016 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without per- mission from the publisher.

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3404-4 Hardback ISBN: 978-1-4222-3406-8 EBook ISBN: 978-1-4222-8490-2

First printing 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2

Produced by Shoreline Publishing Group LLC Santa Barbara, California www.shorelinepublishing.com Cover photograph: Goodluz/Dollar Photo Club

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Gardner, Jane P., author. Car science / by Jane P. Gardner ; science consultant, Russ Lewin, Science and Math Educator. pages cm -- (Science 24/7) Audience: Grades 9-12 Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4222-3406-8 (hardback) -- ISBN 978-1-4222-3404-4 (series) -- ISBN 978-1-4222-8490-2 (ebook) 1. Au- tomobiles--Design and construction--Juvenile literature. 2. Automobiles--Technological innovations--Juvenile literature. I. Title. TL240.G37 2016 629.2’3--dc23 2015004957

IMPORTANT NOTICE The science experiments, activities, and information described in this publication are for educational use only. The publisher is not responsible for any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages as a result of the uses or misuses of the techniques and information within.

Contents

Introduction

6 8

Chapter 1: Self-Driving Cars Chapter 2: Headlights Chapter 3: Tire Pressure Chapter 4: Alternative Fuels

12 16 20 24 28 32

Chapter 5: Safety Chapter 6: Engines Chapter 7: Blind Spots Chapter 8: Cool Cars

36 Chapter 9: Conclusion: Concept Review 40 Find Out More 44 Series Glossary of Key Terms 45 Photo Credits 46 About the Author 47 About the Consultant 47 Index 48

Key Icons to Look For

Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text, while building vocabulary skills.

Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain in- sights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional in- formation to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used through- out this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher- level books and articles in this field.

Introduction S cience. Ugh! Is this the class you have to sit through in order to get to the cafeteria for lunch? Or, yeah! This is my favorite class! Whether you look forward to science or dread it, you can’t escape it. Science is all around us all the time. What do you think of when you think about science? People in lab coats peering anxiously through microscopes while scribbling notes? Giant telescopes scanning the universe for signs of life? Submersibles trolling the dark, cold, and lonely world of the deepest ocean? Yes, these are all science and things that scientists do to learn more about our planet, outer space, and the human body. But we are all scientists. Even you. Science is about asking questions. Why do I have to eat my vegetables? Why does the sun set in the west? Why do cats purr and dogs bark? Why am I warmer when I wear a black jacket than when I wear a white one? These are all great questions. And these questions can be the start of something big . . . the start of scientific discovery. 1. Observe: Ask questions. What do you see in the world around you that you don’t un- derstand? What do you wish you knew more about? Remember, there is always more than one solution to a problem. This is the starting point for scientists—and it can be the starting point for you, too! Enrique took a slice of bread out of the package and discovered there was mold on it. “Again?” he complained. “This is the second time this all-natural bread I bought turned moldy before I could finish it. I wonder why.” 2. Research: Find out what you can about the observation you have made. The more in- formation you learn about your observation, the better you will understand which ques- tions really need to be answered. Enrique researched the term “all-natural” as it applied to his bread. He discovered that it meant that no preservatives were used. Some breads contain preservatives, which are used to “maintain fresh- ness.” Enrique wondered if it was the lack of preservatives that was allowing his bread to grow mold. 3. Predict: Consider what might happen if you were to design an experiment based on your research. What do you think you would find? Enrique thought that maybe it was the lack of preservatives in his bread that was causing the mold. He predicted that bread containing preservatives would last longer than “all-natural” breads.

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4. Develop aHypothesis: A hypothesis is a possible answer or solution to a scientific prob- lem. Sometimes, they are written as an “if-then” statement. For example, “If I get a good night’s sleep, then I will do well on the test tomorrow.” This is not a fact; there is no guarantee that the hypothesis is correct. But it is a statement that can be tested with an experiment. And then, if necessary, revised once the experiment has been done. Enrique thinks that he knows what is going on. He figures that the preservatives in the bread are what keeps it from getting moldy. His working hypothesis is, “If bread contains preservatives, it will not grow mold.” He is now ready to test his hypothesis. 5. Design an Experiment: An experiment is designed to test a hypothesis. It is important when designing an experiment to look at all the variables. Variables are the factors that will change in the experiment. Some variables will be independent—these won’t change. Others are dependent and will change as the experiment progresses. A control is nec- essary, too. This is a constant throughout the experiment against which results can be compared. Enrique plans his experiment. He chooses two slices of his bread, and two slices of the bread with preservatives. He uses a small kitchen scale to ensure that the slices are approximately the same weight. He places a slice of each on the windowsill where they will receive the same amount of sunlight. He places the other two slices in a dark cupboard. He checks on his bread every day for a week. He finds that his bread gets mold in both places while the bread with preservatives starts to grow a little mold in the sunshine but none in the cupboard. 6. Revise the hypothesis: Sometimes the result of your experiment will show that the original hypothesis is incorrect. That is okay! Science is all about taking risks, making mistakes, and learning from them. Rewriting a hypothesis after examining the data is what this is all about. Enrique realized it may be more than the preservatives that prevents mold. Keeping the bread out of the sunlight and in a dark place will help preserve it, even without preservatives. He has decided to buy smaller quantities of bread now, and keep it in the cupboard. This book has activities for you to try at the end of each chapter. They are meant to be fun, and teach you a little bit at the same time. Sometimes, you’ll be asked to design your own ex- periment. Think back to Enrique’s experience when you start designing your own. And remem- ber—science is about being curious, being patient, and not being afraid of saying you made a mistake. There are always other experiments to be done!

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1 Self-Driving Cars “L et’s go, Uncle Gus! I don’t want tomiss any of this,” called Emmett as he hurried across the parking lot ahead of his uncle. Emmett and his uncle Gus were spending Saturday afternoon at the International Auto Show. The young car fan had read that there were all sorts of things to see—the newest models from carmakers, concept vehicles, a distracted driving simulator, and what Emmett was most interested in: the solar powered cars. He had been waiting for this day for weeks. After Uncle Gus paid their entrance fee, he and Emmett entered into the hall. People, cars, and posters were everywhere. “Where do you want to go first?” asked Gus. Emmett looked at the map of the displays he had picked up. “The first thing I want to see is this right here,” he said, pointing at the map. “The self-driving car exhibit.”

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“Okay,” Uncle Gus agreed. “That’s a great place to start.” The sign over the cars said “ Autonomous Cars.” The cars looked similar to any other car that might be driving around the block. Maybe a little sleeker, a little more streamlined, but not any- thing dramatic. There was a device mounted on the roof of each car, and upon looking inside, Emmett saw a large computer screen near the passenger seat and some strange controls. An engineer was explaining to a group of people how the car worked when Emmett and Uncle Gus came up. “This car uses three things: a laser scanner, a GPS , and a series of cameras,” the engineer said. “These three devices are hooked to the car’s computer and work together to allow the car to navigate safely through complex courses. “Up here on the roof of the car is the laser sensor. This constantly scans the area around the car. The laser hits objects, and bounces back a signal to the sensor to estimate how far away the objects are.” A girl in the audience interrupted, saying, “Isn’t that how a bat does it?” The engineer nodded. “Yes, basically, but a bat uses reflected sound waves in a process called echolocation. They send out ultrasound waves, which bounce off distant objects and travel back to their ears. This tells the bat how far away objects are so they can avoid obstacles or catch the mosquitoes they are after.” “Is that sonar ?” someone asked. The engineer laughed. “Wow. Tough crowd today. Sonar is sound navigation and ranging . It is used to find objects under water. A laser uses light. In fact the word laser isn’t actually a

word. It represents the phrase light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation . In other words, light becomes stronger when it is exposed to electromag- netic radiation .” He pointed at the device on top of the car. “The laser is constantly monitoring the dis- tances between objects and the car. There is a GPS, of course, which pinpoints the exact loca- tion of the car on a map. Other equipment, like cameras, help keep the passengers and others on the road safe.”

autonomous able to act alone and without guidance electromagnetic radiation energy passed through space by electromagnetic waves GPS Global Positioning System, a direc- tion-finding method that uses informa- tion from satellites orbiting the Earth laser an intensified beam of light sonar a system that uses sound to find directions and locations underwater Words to Understand

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The engineer got in the car and turned it on. “If you all gather around you will see what many people think is the coolest feature on the car. The steering wheel turns on its own!” As they walked away, Emmett turned to Uncle Gus and said, “Now those people you see texting or shaving or putting on makeup could do that without endangering others.”

Cars With No Drivers: a Good Thing? People who support the idea of a self-driving car have many reasons why such a vehicle is a good thing. Studies suggest that these cars would reduce the number of traffic accidents, because computers make fewer mistakes than humans. Autonomous cars (pictured: from Nissan) could reduce

traffic jams and make the roads flow more smoothly. And, these vehicles could open up a whole new world for those who can’t drive now, such as underage drivers, the elderly, the blind, and physically challenged. There are those doubters, however, who suggest that autonomous cars would lead to the loss of many jobs for those who drive vehicles

for a living. The cars, being linked together, would lead to a loss of privacy, and many people might be hesitant to give up their control of the cars. Talk to your friends and family about this topic: What do you think?

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Try It Yourself

How difficult would it be to program a vehicle to drive you where you want to go? There are many programs today that do that work for you. But what if you had to do it the old way? By hand? Try to make precise directions to lead a friend to a new location. Do you think they would get there?

Materials:

• notebook • compass • tape measure • paper and pencil • friend

1. With a friend, measure your pace. Walk ten steps along a hallway. Use your normal steps. Measure the distance you walked. Divide by 10; that’s your average pace. 2. Use your pace measurement and a directional compass to create a map, step by step, of a small area. Perhaps a playground, or the route from your science class to the cafeteria, via the library. Make a route with many turns and obstacles. Be very specific in your directions. 3. Have your friend follow your directions exactly. They should note where they go and where they run into trouble. Did your directions send them into a wall? Or the wrong way? They should follow your directions as accurately as possible, while remaining safe.

4. How did it go? How successful were your directions? What do you think now about the power of a digital map?

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headlights 2 “L et’s go look at some of the solar cars next,” Emmett suggested. He was impressed by what he had seen with the self-driving cars but was ready to see more. Uncle Gus consulted the map. “I think it is over here.” Walking among the vendor displays, Emmett noticed a display that included a small enclosure with a heavy curtain over it. “What’s going on here?” “It looks like it is all about headlights.” Uncle Gus read the sign. The display showed a variety of headlights, or headlamps, available on the market today.

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There were lights that used halogen , xenon , LED, or even la- sers. “I had no idea there were so many options,” he admitted. “And,” Emmett continued, “I guess I really don’t see the difference.” Uncle Gus pointed to one headlamp. “This is a halogen headlamp. According to this, they are the most common headlights in use today.” Emmett thought a moment

current a flow of electrons incandescent creating light through heat halogen nonmetallic elements on the periodic table within the same group periodic table chart of the elements show- ing patterns of properties vendor a salesperson or a company that sells products to industry xenon a gaseous element that can be used in lighting Words to Understand

and then said, “I remember learning about halogen in sci- ence class. Isn’t that a group of elements on the periodic table?They make headlights out of that stuff?” “Yes,” Uncle Gus nodded. “The halogens are a group of elements on the periodic table . They are fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine. These elements are special because they can form compounds with just about any metal on the periodic table. The word halogen means ‘self- forming.’ These elements form salts.” “That’s right. Like sodium chloride,” said Emmett. “Exactly. Sodium chloride, or table salt, is formed when chlorine, a halide, combines with sodium, a metal.” “So why are halogens used in light bulbs?” wondered Emmett. Uncle Gus picked up one of the sample light bulbs from the display. “This is an incandescent light bulb. They actually don’t make them anymore. But if you look inside, you’ll see that there Uncle Gus smiled and continued, “An electric current heats the tungsten filament and it glows, giving off light. But this tungsten filament by itself like this won’t last very long. It might last 750 or 1,000 hours of normal use, and gives off a tremendous amount of heat. That is really just wast- ing energy. As it heats up, the tungsten evaporates. Eventually, the filament breaks.” Picking up a halogen headlight, Uncle Gus went on, “This light bulb also has a tungsten fila- ment. But inside the bulb is one of the halogen gases, either fluorine or chlorine.” Emmett looked at another set of bulbs. “These are even brighter. What are they made of ?” is a thin filament or wire. This is made out of tungsten, a kind of metal.” Emmett interrupted, “And another element on the periodic table!”

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“These are xenon headlamps, also known as high intensity discharge headlamps or HID,” Uncle Gus said, as he looked at the display information. “I think xenon is a gas, too,” Emmett said. He used his phone to call up a web page about the periodic table. “Yep. Here it is. Xenon is a noble gas. Noble gases don’t react much with other elements, which makes them very useful in applications such as lighting.” Uncle Gus read more of the information. “It says here that xenon lights use less energy and yet produce a brighter light than halogen lamps. They last longer, too. I wonder why more peo- ple don’t use them.”

Incandescent Light Bulbs When someone in a cartoon gets a bright idea, a light bulb appears over their head. It’s probably one of those old-fashioned, bulb-shaped things instead of one of the more modern twisted bulbs. Those older ones are incandescent bulbs. The United States, and other countries around the world, are phasing out the production of these bulbs. As of January 1, 2014, the United States does not allow the manufacture or import of 40-watt or 60-watt incandescent light bulbs (right). But bulb makers have filled the void with a host of new and “greener” lighting solutions.

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