This lessons in this unit serve as an introduction for a chemistry water quality investigation. This lesson allows students to collect some basic information. Lessons two and three acquaint students with water testing procedures and correspondence with an expert. Subsequent units involve collection, analysis, and presentation of data. (To tie this project in with the daily curriculum, use the water chemistries in different lectures throughout the year. For example, when discussing acids and bases, bring up the role of pH and alkalinity in the water supply.)
UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
Scientists usually inquire about how physical, living, or designed systems function.
Scientists conduct investigations for a wide variety of reasons. For example, they may wish to discover new aspects of the natural world, explain recently observed phenomena, or test the conclusions of prior investigations or the predictions of current theories.
Students should be able to use the internet and have basic familiarity with the computer.
Before this lesson, divide students into groups as necessary so that each group has access to a computer with an internet connection.
Also, provide each student with a copy of the student worksheet to complete the lesson.
Optional: To avoid having students type in the URLs, put all internet addresses on a disk beforehand and give each group a disk to complete this activity.
The students should turn in a worksheet, either individually or by group.
Investigating Parameters for Water Quality
Visit the following sites and answer the questions indicated. Since our unit will include investigating the health of a local stream, you will first need to know some basic information about water quality parameters.
The first site is the project that we will post data to after collection.
1. What are the three goals of this project?
Click on the Project Instructions, then Project Requirements.
2. What are the required tests to be performed?
3. What are the optional tests to be performed?
4. How would you classify the condition of our local watershed?
5. For the Middle Chattahoochee-Lake Harding area, what factors appear to be of the most concern?
6. Give three variables that affect the temperature of a water source.
7. Why is temperature critical for living things? Give three specific examples.
8. Why is pH critical for living things? Give at least two examples.
9. What types of human activities affect the pH of a water source? Give at least two examples.
10. What are three sources of dissolved oxygen, DO?
11. How are temperature and dissolved oxygen related in a water source?
12. Can there ever be too much dissolved oxygen in a water supply? Defend your answer.
13. What is the major source of nitrate pollution?
14. What are three secondary sources of nitrates?
15. Why is groundwater nitrate contamination harmful to humans?
16. Where do phosphates originally come from?
17. How do phosphates get into the waterways?
18. What effects do phosphates have on humans?
Computers with internet connections.