The Science of Batteries
What is the main type of battery used in electric vehicles?
Who is the CEO of Tesla
Elon Musk
Battery production and metal extraction requires large amounts of this resource, which tends to be scarce in dry regions
Water
Cobalt, nickel, or zinc all are possible answers
Which country has the greatest demand for electric vehicle batteries as of 2024?
China
Mining for lithium and other battery materials often leads to these 3 type of ecological damage
Habitat destruction, chemical seeping, and biodiversity loss
What material is lithium wedged between on the anode side of the battery?
Graphite
Bonus 100 points: what is it called when the lithium is wedged between the graphite in layers?
Which automaker is the largest producer of electric vehicles in the world?
BYD Auto Company (China)
This metal, essential for EV batteries, is often mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Cobalt
How much is the charge of the Cobalt in the cathode, that attracts the Lithium ions in order to create energy flow?
Cobalt has a +4 charge
Bonus 100 points: Why is there a risk of ions flowing back into the anode instead of them all flowing straight into the cathode?
What is an example of something that electric cars are worse at, compared to gas cars, and thus is a concern for buyers who want to switch over?
Electric vehicles tend to have a shorter range than gas vehicles on a single charge vs. a single tank
One environmental concern with EVs is their higher weight, which increases this form of road pollution.
Tire wear particulate pollution
What is the name of the electrolyte that is introduced in order to stop the backwards flow of Lithium ions?
Hexafluorophosphate
This U.S. federal tax credit, worth up to $7,500, is designed to encourage people to buy electric vehicles. It was passed by Joe Biden.
EV tax credit
What emissions do EVs produce at the tail pipe?
Trick Question! EVs don't produce emissions themselves, but rather the process of procuring materials and building the cars can have an environmental impact.