Form Survey 2 Survey 2 Hydrogen Survey 2008 Students

HYDROGEN SURVEY 2008
STUDENTS
Using Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI), the household will be contacted. The
following protocol will be used.
Interviewer:
Hello, I’m ___ calling from _____ on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy. Your
household has been randomly selected for an important national research survey about
new energy sources. I want to assure you we are not selling any products or services.
Ask to speak with an adult, 18 years of age or older, who lives in this household.
Your telephone number has been selected at random to be included in the study. I have a
couple of questions to determine who in your household should be interviewed for this
study. All of your responses will be confidential. How many [INSERT FROM BELOW]
live in this household?
A.
B.
C.
D.

None
One
Two or more
Refused

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Adults 18 to 45 years old
Adults over 45 years old
Children under 6 years old
Children 6 to11 years old
Children 12 to 17 years old

For this interview, the person 12-17 years old has been selected. None of the answers will
be associated with your household in any way.
May I please speak to the 12-17 year old who had the most recent birthday?
When teen comes to phone:
Hello, I’m ___ from ___. We’re conducting a research survey on behalf of the U.S.
Department of Energy about your knowledge and opinions about hydrogen and fuel cell
technologies. Your responses are voluntary; however, every response is extremely
important. It will take about 14 minutes to complete the survey.
The results of this survey will be used to help design the hydrogen education program for
the U.S. Department of Energy. Your responses are confidential and will not be
associated with you or your household in any way.

Hydrogen Survey 2008 – Students

page 1

Before we get started, I want to mention that there are both technical and opinion
questions in the survey. Tell me what you think or believe, but keep in mind that “no
opinion” or “don’t know” are perfectly acceptable responses.
Interviewers will also have the following information to provide to the respondent:
• OMB Control Number
• Hydrogen website URL
Also note that, if asked at any point during the survey, the interviewer should tell the respondent
that there are no trick questions.

Hydrogen Survey 2008 – Students

page 2

Opening Question
Q1. Please rate your familiarity with hydrogen and fuel cell technologies:
A. Not at all familiar
(You know nothing about hydrogen and fuel cell technologies)
B. Slightly familiar
(You’ve heard about hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, read an article or watched a
television feature about the technology, or participated in casual conversation about the
technology)
C. Familiar
(You’ve had limited experience with hydrogen and fuel cell technologies; researched the
subject for school, work, or personal interest; or learned about the technology in a class
or workshop)
D. Very familiar
(You consider yourself an expert in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies)

Technical Knowledge Questions
T1-4 I am going to read several statements. After each one, please tell me if you believe the
statement is true, if it is false, or if you don’t know
A. True
B. False
C. Don’t know/No opinion
T1. Hydrogen gas is toxic
T2. Fuel cells produce electricity through hydrogen combustion
T3. Hydrogen is lighter than air
T4. Hydrogen has a distinct odor
T5. Fuel cells can provide power to which of the following?
A. Your home
B. Your car
C. Your laptop computer
D. None of these
E. Or, all of these
F. Don’t know/No opinion
T6. In which state or condition can hydrogen be stored?
A. Chemical compound
B. Liquid
C. Both of these
D. Or, neither of these
E. Don’t know/No opinion
T7. When using pure hydrogen, fuel cell vehicles generate electricity, water, and what else?
A. Carbon dioxide
B. Nitrous oxides

Hydrogen Survey 2008 – Students

page 3

C. Heat
D. Or, all of these
E. Don’t know/No opinion
T8. Hydrogen can be produced using which of the following sources of energy?
A. Natural gas
B. Sunlight
C. Organic matter
D. Or, all of these
E. Don’t know/No opinion

Opinion Questions
O1. How would you feel if your local gas station also sold hydrogen?
A. Frightened
B. Uneasy
C. At ease
D. Or, pleased
E. Don’t know/No opinion
O2. How would you feel if your school’s electricity and heat were provided by a fuel cell
located on school grounds?
A. Frightened
B. Uneasy
C. At ease
D. Or, pleased
E. Don’t know/No opinion
O3. Please tell me if you believe the following statement is true, if it is false, or if you don’t
know.
A. True
B. False
C. Don’t know/No opinion
O6. Hydrogen is too dangerous for everyday use by the general public.
O4-6. Next, I am going to read several statements about potential benefits of using hydrogen as
a VEHICLE FUEL. For each, tell me if you disagree, are neutral, agree, or if you have no
opinion?
A. Disagree
B. Are neutral
C. Agree
D. No opinion
O4. Using hydrogen will reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil
O5. Using hydrogen will reduce emissions and improve air quality
O6. Hydrogen is as safe to use in my car as gasoline and diesel fuels

Hydrogen Survey 2008 – Students

page 4

O7-12. For the following applications, please rate the safety of using hydrogen and fuel cells, in
comparison with technology in use today. Is it not as safe, equally as safe, or safer to use
hydrogen and fuel cells for …
A. Not as safe
B. Equally as safe
C. Safer
D. No opinion
O7. Personal cars and trucks
O8. Buses and commercial vehicles
O9. Large power plants
O10. Laptop computers or cell phones
O11. Power for your home
O12. Power for buildings such as hospitals, banks, and schools
O13-18. I am going to read several characteristics of new vehicles. Please imagine that you are
shopping for an automobile, and rank each of the following characteristics for its importance to
you. Would you say it is not important, you are neutral, it is important, or you don’t have an
opinion?
A. Not important
B. Neutral
C. Important
D. No opinion
O13. Cost of vehicle at the point of sale
O14. Gas mileage
O15. Power and speed
O16. Reliability
O17. Safety
O18. Impact on the environment – emissions produced
Information Sources
I1-7. Have you . . .
A. Yes
B. No
C. Don’t know
I1. Received instruction on or otherwise learned about energy use, fuels, and
emissions
I2. Received instruction on or otherwise learned about hydrogen and fuel cells
I3. Ever used a demonstration kit to produce hydrogen
I4. Ever used a model fuel cell science kit
I5. Ever seen or used a hydrogen fuel cell model car
I6. Participated in a fuel cell vehicle design competition
I7. Participated in a science competition that involved knowledge of hydrogen or fuel
cells in some way

Hydrogen Survey 2008 – Students

page 5

FOR ALL QUESTIONS I1-I7 FOR WHICH THE RESPONSE IS “YES,” ASK THE
FOLLOWING. (Note: if asked, indicate that “at school” includes home-schooled activities for
students who receive all their education via home schooling)
I8-14. Did the learning or activity take place at school?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Don’t know
I8. Received instruction on or otherwise learned about energy use, fuels, and
emissions
I9. Received instruction on or otherwise learned about hydrogen and fuel cells
I10. Ever used a demonstration kit to produce hydrogen
I11. Ever used a model fuel cell science kit
I12. Ever seen or used a hydrogen fuel cell model car
I13. Participated in a fuel cell vehicle design competition
I14. Participated in a science competition that involved knowledge of hydrogen or
fuel cells in some way

FOR ALL QUESTIONS I8-I14 FOR WHICH THE RESPONSE IS “NO,” ASK THE
FOLLOWING.
I15-21. If not at school, where did the learning take place?
A. With my family [at home (not home-school), at a museum]
B. In a youth group activity [after school program or club, scouts, camp]
C. On my own [via the Internet, television, newspapers, books]
D. Other [specify]
E. Don’t know
I15. Received instruction on or otherwise learned about energy use, fuels, and
emissions
I16. Received instruction on or otherwise learned about hydrogen and fuel cells
I17. Ever used a demonstration kit to produce hydrogen
I18. Ever used a model fuel cell science kit
I19. Ever seen or used a hydrogen fuel cell model car
I20. Participated in a fuel cell vehicle design competition
I21. Participated in a science competition that involved knowledge of hydrogen or
fuel cells in some way

I22-27. Finally, how often do you get energy information from different types of mass media?
Would you say that you never, sometimes, or frequently get energy information from…
A. Never
B. Sometimes
C. Frequently
D. Don’t know
I22. Television

Hydrogen Survey 2008 – Students

page 6

I23. Radio
I24. The Internet
I25. Newspapers and general interest magazines
I26. Science and technology magazines and journals
I27. Business or trade magazines

Hydrogen Survey 2008 – Students

page 7