Reading and Reflective Writing – Assignment #1
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Assignment Read the assigned article (listed below) and provide a one (1) to four (4) page summary and reflection paper on the assigned article. This summary and reflection paper should: – be typed – use a standard, 12-point-sized font (e.g., Calibri, Times New Roman) – be double-spaced – have one-inch (1”) margins – page limit is not a major concern – your submission should be longer than one (1) page, but please do not go much beyond four (4) pages
Article Castelvecchi, D. 2021. Electric cars: The battery challenge. Nature, Volume 596, p. 336-339.
Your Submission Must Adhere to the Following Format:
Introduction Start with a big picture idea related to the assigned article (listed above, and posted to ICON) and then, in a few sentences, get to the point of the paper. Perhaps something linking the assigned article to this course?
For example: As the world begins to move away from fossil fuels and towards a reliance on greener electricity and batteries, we need a better understanding of what minerals and metals can be used in these technologies, where they are found, and how they are extracted. . . . Castelvecchi’s (2021) article, Electric Cars: The Battery Challenge, provides an overview of the advances and issues associated with the raw materials required to maintain this transition to batteries.
Summary of Paper Provide a brief, general summary of the paper. Just the main points! Use the article headers as a guide. . .perhaps write a couple of sentences per header topic. For example: In Castelvecchi’s article, he begins by discussing the growing demand for batteries in electric cars. He then covers how batteries work and what is involved in producing these batteries. Specifically, he focuses on lithium and cobalt, and the challenges associated with each of these natural resources. . . .
EES/CEE:1030 – Introduction to Earth Science Reading and Reflective Writing – Assignment #1
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Discussion Answer the following questions in a few paragraphs. Do not repeat the questions or, conversely, just provide answers to the questions. The discussion needs to be written in paragraph form – as a discussion. a) How do lithium batteries work, and what materials are involved? b) How do we, currently, get most of these materials? What problems do these methods (for procuring these materials) face (e.g., do we have enough; environmental concerns; social concerns)? c) How are we trying to move away from mining, and how are we improving that process? What are some of the obstacles to that process?
Reflection Address the following questions, in paragraph form.
a) How has your understanding of electric vehicle (EV) batteries or all “green” battery solutions changed? Have you ever thought about where the materials for cars, cell phones, windmills, solar panels. . . comes from and at what cost?
b) What did you learn about the environmental and social implications of switching to greener energy sources. . .or at least lithium batteries? How does this make you feel about the use of electric cars, cell phones, technology in general. . . either in the big- picture or just your own use?
c) Should we be trying to extract/recycle these materials more in the United States? Should we be requiring others to meet our environmental and societal standards?
d) Are there things you can do as an individual or as part of a larger collective to help address concerns related to these materials and processes?
e) Did you learn anything else that surprised or impressed you?
Conclusions Write a few sentences to tie it all together
