No Dumping
Recommended for grades 9–12.
Introduction
Early Saturday morning, two local teenagers called police after observing a large, dark blue pickup truck dumping toxic materials in City Park. Due to the dim morning light, the boys were unable to see a license plate number. They did, however, recognize the make and model of the pickup truck. Police quickly apprehended four suspects who drive trucks of this make and model.
Although tire tracks were found at the scene, the tread patterns were smudged. No toxic residue was found in the payloads of any of the trucks, but police were able to collect soil samples from underneath the bumpers.
Objectives
- Identify characteristics of different soils to demonstrate that a suspect has been at a scene.
- Use characteristic properties to identify a sample.
- Measure the pH of soils.
- Measure the water absorbency of soils.
- Measure the conductivity of soils.
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment 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 computer-based data collection
- List of materials and equipment
Note: The experiment preview of the computer edition 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
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.