Fossil Fuel Exhaust Lab
Objective: to analyze the impact of your motor vehicle, and vehicles of different ages, on air pollution
Procedure:
1. Fit a clean white sock snugly over the cool tailpipe of your car, using a broad rubber band to keep
it in place.
2. Turn on your car and let it run for 3 minutes.
3. Turn off the car and carefully remove the sock. Inspect the sock for particulate matter.
4. Add your sock to the class collection, with a label of when your car was made.
Analysis:
1. Describe the difference between the appearances of the class socks. Estimate the percentage
increase in particulate pollution.
2. Can you make a claim about the appearance of the socks on the basis of age of car, fuel efficiency,
etc.?
Fuel Economy Calculations:
1. Calculate your annual fuel consumption by completing the following calculations:
a. Number of miles driven per week: ___________________________
b. Estimated miles per gallon of your car: _____________________________
(go to www.fueleconomy.gov if needed)
c. Gallons of gasoline used weekly: ________________________
d. Annual gasoline consumption: __________________________
We know that gasoline is actually a very complex mixture of chemicals that when burned, releases
another complex mixture of gases. In one gallon of gasoline, there is the following amount of air
pollutants. For each pollutant below, use your annual gasoline consumption figure to calculate the
annual release of pollutants from your car.
Pollutant
Lbs per gallon
CO2
20.0
NO2
.11
CO
2.3
Annual gallons (line d)
Annual release of
pollutants (lbs.)
Hydrocarbons
(PAH)
.2
Formaldehyde
.004
Particulates
.012
VOCs
.004
SO2
.009
Total
22.639
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Analysis:
1. There are currently about 255 million registered vehicles in the U.S. What would be the total air
pollution if everyone drove like you?
2. Describe four ways you could reduce your automobile air pollution. DON’T just say “drive less” or
“carpool”. Do some research.
Exploration of pollutants (Research):
Chemical
name/structure OR
chemicals included
in group (i.e. VOCs)
CO2
NO2
CO
Hydrocarbons
(PAH)
Associated
environmental
problems
Associated health
problems
Formaldehyde
Particulates
VOCs
SO2
1. Of the pollutants above, which are primary pollutants? (a primary pollutant causes environmental
problems without combining with anything else)
2. Which are secondary pollutants? (a secondary pollutant undergoes a chemical reaction after it is
released to make a second pollutant)
3. Ethanol is an additive found in most commercial gasoline today. Why is ethanol added to
gasoline? What piece of legislation encourages additives that reduce air pollution?