The Effect of Acid Deposition on Aqueous Systems
Recommended for grades 9–16.
Introduction
Acid deposition is a topic of much concern in today’s world. It can kill fish and other water life by lowering the pH of lakes and rivers. The pH scale is a measure of acidity. A pH value of 7 is neutral, values lower than 7 are increasingly acidic, and values higher than 7 are increasingly basic. Acid deposition is more harmful in some areas than others because some water resists changes in pH better than others. This ability to resist pH change is called buffering capacity.
Objectives
In Part I of the Preliminary Activity, you will use a pH Sensor to monitor pH as dilute sulfuric acid is added drop wise to a water sample.
General water hardness is related to the dissolved minerals in the water. In Part II of the Preliminary Activity, you will use a Conductivity Probe to determine the conductivity of water from the same source.
Sensors and Equipment
This investigation requires each of the following Vernier sensors and equipment (unless otherwise noted):
Additional Requirements
You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?
Download Experiment Preview
The student-version preview includes:
- Step-by-step instructions for the Preliminary Activity
- List of materials and equipment
Note: The experiment preview of the Preliminary Activity does not include essential teacher information, safety tips, or sample data. Instructions for Logger Pro and other software (such as LabQuest App or TI handheld software, where available) are on the CD that accompanies the book. We strongly recommend that you purchase the book before performing experiments.
Standards Correlations
See all standards correlations for Investigating Chemistry through Inquiry »
Included in the Lab Book
Vernier lab books include a CD with word-processing files of the student instructions, essential teacher information, suggested answers, sample data and graphs, and more.