Judge and improve a solution that reduces human impact
Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Table, Power-plant SO2 and scrubbers (EPA), with columns Measure, EPA figure
SO2 from power plants, 2023, 0.65 million tons; Drop from 1995 to 2023, 11.2 million tons (95%); Wet scrubbers remove, 90% to 98% of SO2; Wet scrubber trade-off, more water use and wastewater to treat; Dry scrubber trade-off, no wastewater; What cut SO2 since 1995, controls, lower-emitting fuels and other changes.
A classmate says scrubbers alone caused the 95% fall in power-plant SO2 since 1995. Ari checks the EPA table. Which reply fits?
- Yes: scrubbers remove 90% to 98%, so they explain the 95% drop
- No: scrubbers cannot lower SO2 emissions from any plant
- No: EPA credits controls, fuels and other changes together
- Yes: SO2 fell after scrubbers were built, so they caused it
Card (EPA)
1 inch of rain on 1 square foot is 144 cubic inches, about 0.62 gallon. One cubic foot holds 7.48 gallons. A rain garden is a low planted area where runoff soaks in. A 600 square foot roof sheds about 372 gallons in a 1 inch storm.
A classmate says one rain garden solves flooding for a 600 square foot roof. Esme tests the claim. Which reply is strongest?
- No: it holds a limited volume, so a big storm can exceed it
- No: rain gardens make runoff move off faster than pavement
- Yes: one garden size works for a roof of any size
- Yes: it keeps the runoff out of the street drains in any storm
Use the table
U.S. waste, 2018 (EPA)
Pathway Million tons Total generated 292.4 (4.9 pounds per person per day) Recycled 69.0 Composted 24.9 Other food management 17.7 Burned with energy recovery 34.6 (11.8%) Landfilled 146.1 (50%) Recycled and composted almost 94 (32.1%) If the extra tons diverted to reach 50% recycling and composting came from landfills, how much would Kira see landfilled?
- About 198 million tons, close to 68% of the waste
- About 94 million tons, close to 32% of the waste
- About 52 million tons, close to 18% of the waste
- About 146 million tons, unchanged at 50%
Card (model data)
Without controls a plant emits 1,000 tons of SO2 a year, and its permit limit is 60 tons a year. EPA: wet scrubbers remove 90% to 98% of SO2. Wet scrubber: 95% removed, $2,000,000 a year. Dry scrubber: 90% removed, $1,500,000 a year.
Model data: a wet scrubber removes 95% of 1,000 tons for $2,000,000 a year; a dry one removes 90% for $1,500,000. With a 60-ton limit, what does Luz pick?
- Dry: it needs no wastewater, so it also meets the 60-ton limit
- Dry: about $1,667 per ton removed, so dry is the cheapest option
- Wet: about $4,000 per ton, found by dividing by 500 tons
- Wet: about $2,105 a ton, and the 50 tons left meet the limit
Note: Weights: runoff counts 3, cost counts 2, upkeep counts 1, habitat counts 1. A town must choose between plans J and L. Milo asks which new fact would change the choice the most.
- A photo of each plan after a storm in a nearby town
- A note that plan L has the highest habitat score of 4
- A vote on which plan has the nicest name for the project
- A cost cap that needs a score of 3 or more, which L fails
Use the table
U.S. waste, 2018 (EPA)
Pathway Million tons Total generated 292.4 (4.9 pounds per person per day) Recycled 69.0 Composted 24.9 Other food management 17.7 Burned with energy recovery 34.6 (11.8%) Landfilled 146.1 (50%) Recycled and composted almost 94 (32.1%) Noah wants evidence that recycling alone cannot empty U.S. landfills. Which fact from the EPA table is the strongest?
- Recycling took 69.0 of 292.4 million tons, while landfills took 146.1
- Recycling and composting reached 32.1%, which is most of the waste
- Energy recovery took 34.6 million tons, more than landfills
- People make 4.9 pounds of waste a day, which is a lot
Card (EPA)
a rain garden lets runoff soak in, filtering pollutants, and gives wildlife food and shelter. A 1 inch storm puts 0.62 gallon on each square foot of roof.
Pia claims rain gardens help water quality, not just water amount. Which EPA fact supports that claim best?
- EPA: rain gardens let runoff soak in and filter pollutants
- EPA: rain gardens cost less than underground tanks
- EPA: rain gardens are planted, so they look green and neat
- EPA: a roof sheds 0.62 gallon per square foot in a 1 inch storm
Table, Power-plant SO2 and scrubbers (EPA), with columns Measure, EPA figure
SO2 from power plants, 2023, 0.65 million tons; Drop from 1995 to 2023, 11.2 million tons (95%); Wet scrubbers remove, 90% to 98% of SO2; Wet scrubber trade-off, more water use and wastewater to treat; Dry scrubber trade-off, no wastewater; What cut SO2 since 1995, controls, lower-emitting fuels and other changes.
Ren writes one summary of scrubbers from the EPA table. Which one fits?
- Scrubbers cut power-plant SO2 by 95% since 1995, with no costs
- Wet scrubbers remove 50% of SO2 and need no extra water
- Dry scrubbers remove 98% of SO2 and need wastewater treatment
- Wet scrubbers remove 90% to 98% of SO2 but add water costs
Use the table
U.S. waste, 2018 (EPA)
Pathway Million tons Total generated 292.4 (4.9 pounds per person per day) Recycled 69.0 Composted 24.9 Other food management 17.7 Burned with energy recovery 34.6 (11.8%) Landfilled 146.1 (50%) Recycled and composted almost 94 (32.1%) Tala writes one summary of 2018 U.S. waste from the EPA table. Which one fits?
- Of 292.4 million tons, most was burned to make energy
- Of 292.4 million tons, half was landfilled and about 12% recycled or composted
- Of 292.4 million tons, half was landfilled and about a third recycled or composted
- Of 292.4 million tons, half was recycled and a third was landfilled
Note: Weights: runoff counts 3, cost counts 2, upkeep counts 1, habitat counts 1. Zee writes one summary of the stormwater scoring table. Which one fits?
- J wins with these weights; a habitat weight of 3 changes it
- L wins because its unweighted sum of 13 is the highest
- K wins because it has the fewest scores of 1 on the card
- J wins with these weights, and no change in weights could alter that