My local Fox 59 news station just aired a story about how Indianapolis is changing the patterns on the city traffic lights so people don't have to stop as often. The lights are normally timed to increase the number of stops you have to make, the theory being that you'll drive closer to the speed limit if you're constantly doing the stop and go. But the process of getting a car from a stop to moving takes more energy than going continuously at a set speed. So if you stop less, you'll save gas. And with our gas prices up to about $4.25 per gallon, anything the city can do to help us save gasoline will be much appreciated!
I'll share some problems you could do with students about this idea in a future post. I worked in a national petroleum lab for two summers so I have some interesting petroleum science I could share. Gasoline is a great example of lots of scientific principles in action that we take for granted as long as we remember to fill the tank!
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