Catch Some Air--Teacher's Corner

Teacher's Corner

Several air quality experiments are possible using materials
and devices which are around the house.

Background

Standards

Objectives

Students

Background Research

For additional background and activities about your activity, the following teaching resources are suggested:

Sources in Print
Environmental Experiments About Air
Thomas Rybolt
Enslow Publications

The Breath of Life
Donald E. Carr
Norton

The Air We Live By
Marshall , James
Coward-McCam

Air Polution, How It Got That Way
Marshall, James
Coward-McCam

Software
Thinkquest: http://www.advanced.org/thinkquest

PVWAVE

Quatro Pro

Word Perfect

Word

Graphlink

STANDARDS

This lesson addresses the following California Science Content Standards.

Grades 9-12

Life, Earth, & Physical Sciences

Earth Science

4c: The different atmospheric gases that
absorb the Earth's thermal radiation, and the
mechanism and significance of the
greenhouse effect.

8b: How the composition of the Earth's
atmosphere has evolved over geologic time
including outgassing, the origin of
atmospheric oxygen, and variations in
carbon dioxide
concentration.

8c: The location of the ozone layer in the
upper atmosphere, its role in absorbing
ultraviolet radiation and how it varies both
naturally and in response to human activities.

Investigation & Experimentation

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Collect air samples

Know the difference between particulate matter and gas contaminantes in the air

Build their own sampling device

Run a sample and analyze what they get

Do long term data collection and analysis

Do record keeping

Objective #1

To collect enough particulate matter air samples to determine a normal amount

Objective #2

To compare the sample amounts with data from the state of California's Air Quality Board

Objective #3

To become familiar with long term data collection and analysis procedures

Objective #4

To be able to write up and publish the results of this study for their area

Objective #5

To be able to compare their results with those of other students participating in the same study using the Internet

STUDENTS

Here are some investigations you might want to do, to further your understanding of air pollution.

Look up all the different regulations governing air in your area.

Investigate businesses in your area to see if they are in compliance

Find out what can be done to make local businesses stop polluting your air

Talk to business owners about how much it costs them to stop pollution

Find out how much the cost of what you buy in the market is affected by anti-pollution measures

Talk to environmental activists about what they due to minimize air pollution

Go to a hospital which treats patients with lung problems and ask the staff what effect air pollution has had on the lungs of their patients

Talk to some one who smokes cicarettes about the pollution they are creating for themselves and others

Find out what is happening to the manufacturers of cigarettes in relation to their production of pollution

Have a class discussion on who has to pay for anti-pollution measures

Laboratory Investigations

Air quality is determined by the amount of contaminants in the air. If there are no contaminants in the air, the quality is perfect. Not many places exist with no contaminants. Contaminants can be: gases, aerosols or particulate matter. At the pre-college level, detection of gaseous contaminants such as NOx or SO2 pollutants is difficult without donated equipment. Chemical analysis of aerosols ( liquid drop ) pollutants is difficult and not many aerosol sources are found outside of chemical factories. Particulate matter in ambient air is readily availible in most locations and relatively easy to sample. Sources include; pollen, blowing dust, exhaust form engines, agricultural fertilizers, dander from house hold pets and floor dust at home and in schools. These can all be readily sampled with a vacuum cleaner and the kleenex holder suggested in the Berkeley Lab experiment. Studies can be of both total mass of sample and analysis of what is cught by the filter. In the spring time pollen collected can be examined by examination through a high powered light microscope. The same filter system can be used to collect the combustion products of cigaretts by attatching the top half of a plastic water or soda bottle to the filter holder. The collected tars and smoke particles are colorful to say the least.