Water Quality and Contamination
Before you begin this assignment, watch the video titled The Scientific Method Presentation. Then, read “Lab 2: Water Quality and Contamination.” This lab will allow you to investigate the effects of common pollutants on groundwater as well as mimic the filtration process utilized by wastewater treatment facilities. Additionally, you will perform tests on your own tap water to compare differences in contaminants found in bottled versus tap water. Then, you will utilize this information and your eSciencelab kit to complete Experiments 1 through 3 on the Week Two Lab Reporting Form. Make sure to complete all of the following items before submission:
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- Read through the introductory material and watch The Scientific Method Presentation video.
- Perform Experiment 1: Effects of Groundwater Contamination using your eScience lab manual and kit.
- Complete Table 1 and answer Post Lab Questions 1 through 5 in complete sentences on the Week Two Lab Reporting Form.
- Complete Experiment 2: Water Treatment using your eScience lab manual and kit.
- Answer Post Lab Questions 1 through 4 in complete sentences on the Week Two Lab Reporting Form.
- Complete Experiment 3: Drinking Water Quality using your eScience lab manual and kit.
- Complete Tables 2 through 6 and answer Post Lab Questions 1 through 4 in complete sentences on the Week Two Lab Reporting Form.
- Go to “Lab 3: Biodiversity,” and complete Experiment 1: Diversity of Plants steps 1 through 6. Steps 1 through 6 need to be completed in order to be prepared for Week Three; however, results for this experiment will not be calculated until next week. Thus, nothing is to be handed in for this experiment until the end of Week Three. however, any outside resources utilized in your answers must be referenced in proper APA format as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkGOJYZQwLQ
Turk, J., & Bensel, T. (2014). Contemporary environmental issues (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Attachments:
Lab 2 – Water Quality and Contamination
Experiment 1: Effects of Groundwater Contamination
| Table 1: Water Observations (Smell, Color, Etc.) | |
| Beaker | Observations |
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 | |
| 5 | |
| 6 | |
| 7 | |
| 8 | |
POST LAB QUESTIONS
- Develop hypotheses on the ability of oil, vinegar, and laundry detergent to contaminate groundwater.
- Oil hypothesis =
- Vinegar hypothesis =
- Laundry detergent hypothesis =
- Based on the results of your experiment, would you reject or accept each hypothesis that you produced in question 1? Explain how you determined this.
- Oil hypothesis accept/reject =
- Vinegar hypothesis accept/reject =
- Laundry detergent hypothesis accept/reject =
- What affects did each of the contaminants have on the water in the experiment? Which contaminant seemed to have the most potent effect on the water?
Answer =
- Using at least 1 scholarly source, discuss what type of affects these contaminants (oil, vinegar, detergent) might have on a town’s water source and the people who drank the water?
Answer =
- Describe what type of human activity would cause contaminants like oil, acid and detergents to flow into the water supply? Additionally, what other items within your house do you believe could contaminate the water supply if you were to dump them onto the ground?
Answer =
Experiment 2: Water Treatment
POST LAB QUESTIONS
- Develop a hypothesis on the ability of your filtration technique to remove contaminants.
Hypothesis =
- Based on the results of your experiment, would you reject or accept the hypothesis that you produced in question 1? Explain how you determined this.
Accept/Reject =
- What are the differences in color, smell, visibility, etc. between the “contaminated” water and the “treated” water?
Answer =
- From the introduction to this lab, you know that there are typically five steps involved in the water treatment process. Identify the processes (e.g., coagulation) that were used in this lab and describe how they were performed.
Answer =
Experiment 3: Drinking Water Quality
| Table 2: Ammonia Test Results | |
| Water Sample | Test Results |
| Tap Water | |
| Dasani® Bottled Water | |
| Fiji® Bottled Water | |
| Table 3: Chloride Test Results | |
| Water Sample | Test Results |
| Tap Water | |
| Dasani® Bottled Water | |
| Fiji® Bottled Water | |
| Table 4: 4 in 1 Test Results | ||||
| Water Sample | pH | Total Alkalinity | Total Chlorine | Total Hardness |
| Tap Water | ||||
| Dasani® Bottled Water | ||||
| Fiji® Bottled Water | ||||
| Table 5: Phosphate Test Results | |
| Water Sample | Test Results |
| Tap Water | |
| Dasani® Bottled Water | |
| Fiji® Bottled Water | |
| Table 6: Iron Test Results | |
| Water Sample | Test Results |
| Tap Water | |
| Dasani® Bottled Water | |
| Fiji® Bottled Water | |
POST LAB QUESTIONS
- Develop a hypothesis on which water source you believe will contain the most and least contaminants.
Hypothesis =
- Based on the results of your experiment, would you reject or accept the hypothesis that you produced in question 1? Explain how you determined this.
Accept/reject =
- Based on the results of your experiment, what major differences, if any, do you notice between the Dasani, Fiji, and tap water?
Answer =
- Based on your results, do you believe that bottled water is worth the price? Why or why not?
Answer =
*NOTE – Do not forget to go to Lab 3: Biodiversity, and complete “Experiment 1: Diversity of Plants” steps 1 through 6. Steps 1 through 6 need to be completed in order to be prepared for Week Three, however, results for this experiment will not be calculated until next week. Thus, while nothing is to be handed in for this experiment until the end of Week Three you must plant the seeds this week to ensure that you can complete week 3 on time.
References
Any sources utilized should be listed here.
……………Answer Preview…………..
Experiment 1
Q 1
Oil, Vinegar and Laundry detergents has the ability to contaminate groundwater. Motor oil leak into aquifers and other tainted landfills. Human activities especially in dense population have great percentage of pollution. Oil changes, the color while vinegar changes the smell of water. Laundry alters the taste of water. Even though all contaminates may alter the taste and smell, the data were recorded from the highest percentage of alteration
Q 2
I accept the hypothesis from the…………….
APA
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