The Effect of Acid Deposition on Aquatic Ecosystems
Experiment #31 from Investigating Environmental Science through Inquiry
- Subject
- Environmental Science
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.
After completing the Preliminary Activity, you will first use reference sources to find out more about acid deposition before you choose and investigate a researchable question dealing with acid deposition.
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment features the following sensors and equipment. Additional equipment may be required.
Correlations
Teaching to an educational standard? This experiment supports the standards below.
- International Baccalaureate (IB)/Environmental Systems and Societies
- 6.4 Acid deposition
- International Baccalaureate (IB) 2025/Biology
- D4.2.2—Requirements for stability in ecosystems
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This experiment is #31 of Investigating Environmental Science through Inquiry. The experiment in the book includes student instructions as well as instructor information for set up, helpful hints, and sample graphs and data.
