Old Idea, New Parts: teacher key

Gas and Electric Cars, grade 8 edition, written for 8th grade. Electric cars are older than most people think. Learn how their parts work together, and how a gas car gets its power to the road.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. Around what year did the first successful electric car in the U.S. appear?
   • 1790
   • 1890 (answer)
   • 1990
2. What does the onboard charger change AC electricity into?
   • Gasoline
   • DC power (answer)
   • Steam
3. What does a gearbox let a gas engine do?
   • Run at efficient speeds no matter how fast the car is going (answer)
   • Charge a battery
   • Turn off the wheels
4. Why is a friction brake system still needed in a car with regenerative brakes?
   • Friction brakes make electricity
   • The battery is empty
   • Regenerative brakes cannot do all the braking (answer)
5. What does a hybrid electric car have?
   • Only a motor
   • Only an engine
   • An engine and one or more electric motors (answer)

Words

• electromagnetism: magnet and current
• gearbox: gear housing
• hybrid: engine-motor car
• friction: rubbing
• regenerative: energy-returning