Long Term Water Monitoring

Recommended for grades 9–12.

Figure from experiment 5 from Investigating Environmental Science through Inquiry

Introduction

Water sample collection and analysis and the long-term study of a local system or environmental problem are important components of an Environmental Science course. You will experience both in this experiment.

Objectives

In the Preliminary Activity, you will gain experience using a Dissolved Oxygen Probe while determining the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in a water sample provided by your teacher. You will also gain experience using a Temperature Probe, a Conductivity Probe, a Turbidity Sensor, and a pH Sensor. You may or may not choose to use all five of the sensors as you subsequently research your chosen question.

After completing the Preliminary Activity, you will first use reference sources to find out more about water issues before you choose and investigate a researchable question that involves long-term data collection.

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.

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Standards Correlations

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