Question

use the accompanying graphic showing primary energy consumption by major sources from 1950 to 2020 in a certain country to answer the following questions.
a) what type of chart is this?
b) what source has consistently represented the highest proportion of energy consumed?
c) approximately how many quadrillion btu of energy was consumed from natural gas in 1980?
d) approximately what percentage of energy was consumed from coal in 2015?
click the icon to view the graphic.
pie chart
column chart
stacked area chart
100% stacked column chart

Explanation:

Part (a)

To determine the chart type, we analyze the options:

• Pie chart: Shows proportions of a whole, not over time.
• Column chart: Compares values across categories, not ideal for showing proportions over time.
• Stacked area chart: Displays the evolution of different components' proportions over time (like energy sources from 1950 - 2020).
• 100% stacked column chart: Compares proportions across categories at specific times, not continuous over time.

Since the data is about energy consumption sources over a time period (1950 - 2020) showing proportions, a stacked area chart is suitable.

For a chart showing primary energy consumption by sources over time, we look for the source with the largest (or consistently largest) area (proportion) across years (1950 - 2020). Typically, in such US energy charts, petroleum (or oil - related) is often the largest, but if we assume common knowledge (or typical data), petroleum (or the source with the biggest area) is consistent.

For 1980 natural gas consumption (in quadrillion Btu), we refer to the stacked area chart. Looking at the natural gas area in 1980, typical data (or from such charts) shows around 15 - 20 quadrillion Btu. For example, if the chart has natural gas at ~17 quadrillion Btu in 1980.

Answer:

C. Stacked area chart

Part (b)