- (E) The combustion of natural gas releases very small amounts of sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides, virtually no ash or particulate matter, and lower
levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other reactive hydrocarbons
when compared with coal or oil. The following chart compares emission
levels of various pollutants for three forms of energy: natural gas, oil, and
coal.
Fossil Fuel Emission LevelsPollutant Natural Gas Oil Coal
(pounds of pollutant per billion Btu of energy input)Carbon dioxide 117,000 164,000 208,000Carbon monoxide 40 33 208Nitrogen oxides 92 448 457Sulfur dioxide 1 1,122 2,591
Particulates 7 84 2,744Mercury0.000 0.007 0.016
FREE-RESPONSE ANSWER
10 Total Points Possible
(Note: Even though it is possible to earn 11 points, no more than 10 points are
awarded.) (a) Maximum 2 points total: 1 point for the correct calculation setup
and 1 point for the correct answer.
According to this graph, China’s coal consumption increased from 1.5 billion
tons of coal in 2003 to 3 billion tons in 2010. Using the Rule of 70, calculate
the percent growth in China’s coal consumption during this time.
Units are not required in this setup. Students should use the correct
mathematical operation (in this case an appropriate use of the Rule of 70