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Grade 9 · Science · Earth and Space Science

9th grade Compare energy and mineral options by costs and benefits worksheet

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Compare energy and mineral options by costs and benefits

Grade 9 Science Worksheet

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

  1. Read this first

    Use the table

    U.S. utility-scale electricity, 2025 (EIA)

    SourceShare of generationCapacity factor
    Natural gasabout 41%58.7% (combined cycle)
    Nuclearabout 18%91.1%
    Coalabout 17%48.8%
    Windabout 11%33.8%
    Solarabout 7%24.0% (photovoltaic)
    Hydropowerabout 6%34.4%

  2. Using the EIA table, about how many times as much electricity did nuclear make as solar in 2025, by Esme's math?

    • About 11 times
    • About 2.6 times
    • About 3.8 times
    • About 0.4 times

  3. Using the EIA table, about what share came from natural gas and coal together, by Jun's math?

    • About 107.5%
    • About 41%
    • About 24%
    • About 58%

  4. A solar farm could make 200 MWh in a period at nonstop full power. At EIA's 2025 solar capacity factor, about how much does it make, by Kira's math?

    • About 224 MWh
    • About 182 MWh
    • About 8.3 MWh
    • About 48 MWh

  5. Using the EIA table, what does nuclear's capacity factor mean, by Luz's reading?

    • Plants turned about 91% of fuel energy into electricity
    • Nuclear made about 91% of U.S. electricity
    • Plants stood idle for about 91% of the year
    • Plants made about 91% of what nonstop full power would make

  6. Why is solar's capacity factor lower than nuclear's, by Milo's reading (EIA)?

    • Available sunlight changes with time of day, season and weather
    • Solar makes the most U.S. electricity, so it wears out
    • Nuclear plants also run on sunlight
    • Solar panels give off CO₂ that slows them down

  7. Table, CO₂ from generation, 2023 (EIA), with columns Source, CO₂ per kWh

    Coal, about 2.31 pounds; Natural gas, about 0.96 pounds; Petroleum, about 2.46 pounds; Nuclear, hydro, wind and solar, none while running.

  8. Using the CO₂ table, how much more CO₂ does 1,000 kWh from coal give off than 1,000 kWh from natural gas, by Noah's math?

    • About 3,270 pounds
    • About 1,350 pounds
    • About 2,310 pounds
    • About 1.35 pounds

  9. Using the CO₂ table, about how many times as much CO₂ per kWh does coal give off as natural gas, by Pia's math?

    • About 3.3 times
    • About 0.42 times
    • About 1.35 times
    • About 2.4 times

  10. Table, Metals and recycling (USGS 2024; EIA), with columns Measure, Figure

    Aluminum from old scrap, about 37% of U.S. use; Aluminum from all scrap, about 3.6 million tons, 44% of it old scrap; Copper from scrap, about 35% of U.S. supply; Energy for cans from recycled aluminum, about 95% less than from ore.

  11. Using the metals table, about how much U.S. aluminum came from old scrap in 2024, by Tala's math?

    • About 2.0 million tons
    • About 0.16 million tons
    • About 8.2 million tons
    • About 1.6 million tons

  12. Model data: making a batch of cans from ore takes 100 units of energy. Using EIA's 95% figure, about how much would recycled cans take, by Zee's math?

    • About 95 units
    • About 5 units
    • About 0.95 units
    • About 195 units

  13. Using the metals table, what share of U.S. copper supply came from sources other than scrap, by Ari's math?

    • About 3.5%
    • About 135%
    • About 37%
    • About 65%
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9th grade Compare energy and mineral options by costs and benefits worksheet – printable
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About this worksheet

Compare energy and mineral options by their trade-offs. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can read the 2025 U.S. electricity mix and capacity factors, and tell a share of generation from a capacity factor.
  • I can compare CO₂ per kWh and name a benefit and a trade-off EIA gives for solar, wind, hydropower, nuclear, natural gas and coal.
  • I can use recycling data for aluminum and copper and score options on several criteria, changing the weights.

Standard: HS-ESS3-2

Words to know

capacity factor: Energy made divided by what nonstop full power would make

utility-scale: Power plants of 1 megawatt or more

kWh: A kilowatthour, a unit of electrical energy

trade-off: A cost that comes with a benefit

old scrap: Metal recovered from discarded products

reclamation: Returning mined land close to its original condition

Common mistakes

Your child gave an option no trade-offs. EIA: every source has trade-offs, such as dams and fish, nuclear waste, land for solar, birds and bats for wind, and CO₂ from fossil fuels.

Your child judged by one criterion. Energy choices weigh several: output, CO₂, land, water, wildlife and waste.

Your child mixed up capacity factor and share of generation. EIA: capacity factor is the energy made divided by what nonstop full power would make; share is a source's part of all U.S. electricity.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with compare energy and mineral options by costs and benefits?

Your child gave an option no trade-offs. EIA: every source has trade-offs, such as dams and fish, nuclear waste, land for solar, birds and bats for wind, and CO₂ from fossil fuels.

Are these 9th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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