Pollution in a Bottle

TOPIC: ATMOSPHERE
LEVEL: Intermediate

"Pollution in a Bottle"

CONCEPT:: Environmental conditions, temperature, density, and pressure, are continually changing.
STUDENT OBJECTIVE:: The student will observe that pollutants in the air can be measured.
OVERVIEW:: In this activity, the student will be observe, over a period of days, the amount of dust collected in the pans of water. Through evaporation, the dust or particulates will settle on the bottom of the pan. The particulates can then be collected and measured. The duration of the activity can provide some variations during different times of the year.
TEACHER TEXT:

PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes to gather materials

LESSON TIME: 45 minutes to set up experiment, 30 days to complete.

TEACHER PREP:

WORDS TO KNOW:

MATERIALS NEEDED: (per class)

STEPS TO FOLLOW:: 1. Label the jars 1, 2, and 3. Put one liter of distilled water into each jar and clearly mark the level.; 2. Cover the top of each jar with a piece of wire mesh window screening fold down over the mouth and fasten with light wire.; 3. Pre-select 3 locations that you wish to test. Set the jars outside about 1.5 meters off the ground. Make sure these jars are in a secure place- you will be observing them for 30 days.; 4. Check each jar periodically and record your observations on Table 1 and add distilled water to keep the water level marked on the jars.; 5. After 30 days, pour the water from jar 1 to pan 1. Place the pan on a heat source and carefully evaporate the water. Repeat for jars and pans 2 and 3. Add more water from each jar to each pan until all the water has been evaporated. You may need to rinse each jar with distilled water until all the material collected in the jar has been transferred to its pan.; 6. Using Table 2, record the mass of the pan and the dust, and the mass of the pan. You will then subtract the mass of the pan from the mass of the dust in milligrams. This is the amount of "dust" collected in 30 days per the surface area of the jars.; 7. If this activity is done during consecutive months, variations in the number of pollutants can be observed by season.

WHY?: There are always small solid particulates in the air. We breathe them daily. This activity shows us that the particulates can be collected and measured. Also, the particulates change with the seasons.

ASSESSMENT: Can the student communicate what they observed?: 4......Student is able to communicate that the air is full of solid pollutants and that the pollutants can be seen and measured.; 3......Student is able to communicate that pollutants can be measured.; 2......Student is able to communicate that pollutants can be collected.; 1......Student is able to communicate that the air is polluted.

Last modified: Thu Apr 3 12:12:46 PST 1997