Which question would help students consider the influence of engineering, technology, and science on daily life after reading about energy use in transportation?

• A. What would happen if we didn't have cars and buses?
• B. How do engines convert fuel into motion?
• C. Why do cars need brakes?
• D. Where do cars get their fuel from?

Answer: (A)

Considering a world without cars and buses prompts students to map out daily life and see how much everyday routines, work, school, and social activities depend on transportation systems that are designed and improved through engineering, technology, and science. It helps connect energy use in transportation to real outcomes—like how people travel, how cities are organized, and how energy choices shape costs, accessibility, and the environment. By imagining the absence of these systems, students can appreciate the role of engineers in creating reliable, efficient, and safe mobility and how scientific ideas translate into technologies that power daily life.

The other prompts stay largely at the level of how things work or what components do—how engines convert fuel to motion, why brakes are needed, or where fuel comes from. They’re valuable for understanding mechanics or safety, but they don’t as directly illuminate how engineering decisions and scientific advances influence everyday life and energy use in transportation.