Trolleybus

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/trolleybus

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the vehicle type?Electric bus powered by external overhead electrical supply
2. What is the power collection method?Dual overhead wires connected via two spring-loaded trolley poles
3. How does a trolleybus get its power?The bus has two long poles that reach up to the overhead wires. Electricity travels through the wires and into the bus, making the motors run. The wires are connected to poles on the road.
4. Why do trolleybuses use two wires instead of one?Because the bus needs a return path for the electricity, it uses two wires: one for the current to go up and one for it to come back down. Trams can use the track as a return, so they only need one wire.

Trolleybus: An electric bus drawing power from overhead wires, distinct from battery-electric buses and trams.
Trolley Poles: Articulated poles on the bus roof that maintain electrical contact with overhead wires.
Overhead Lines: A network of electrical conductors suspended above roads, providing continuous power to trolleybuses.
Trackless Trolley: An older term for a trolleybus, emphasizing its ability to run on roads without tracks.