ACID RAIN: Its origin and environmental repercussions

General Chemistry 104.1 or 108

Two week module

This module answers the questions about the origin, environmental effects of acid rain and its prevention. One of its objective is to awaken the awareness of freshman students to environmental problems and to show them the "real life" applications of their basic chemistry skills. Over a period of two weeks, students will do the WEB research to learn about the acid rain formation, concentration of acidic oxides in the atmosphere, effects of acidic precipitation on humans, biosphere, and structures. They will also focus on the environmental polices of the United States with emphasis on the data and trends reported by US Environmental Protection Agency. Then, based on the results of the WEB and scientific literature research, the students will "design" and carry out the experiments leading to visualization of the origin and the effects of acid rains. They will also propose and use the means to minimize SO₂ pollution.

In this module the skill of learning the cause-effect logic along with the data treatment, its evaluation and correlation finding will be emphasized.

INTERDISCIPLINARY ASPECTS

Earth and atmospheric chemistry, climate, the media, governmental regulations, public policy

LEVEL

First year chemistry

PREREQUISITES:

Chemical reactions

	Equations
	Stoichiometry
	Complexation

Gases

solubility

Acids and bases

neutralization titration

Chemical equilibrium, 
Interactions of light with matter

	Absorbance/transmittance
	Beer's law

BENCHMARKS:

Answers with full understanding of the problem to the following questions:

	What is acid rain?
	How is it created?
	What are the effects of acid rain on environment?
	What can be done to avoid it?

 

 

CHEMISTRY CONTENT OBJECTIVES:

	To see the effects of SO2 on plants and structures
	To apply complexation for quantitative analysis
	To use the properties of light to determine the concentration of species (visible spectrometry).

 

 

SPECIAL TOPICS:

	atmospheric composition
	pollutants in the atmosphere, their origin
	SO2, its physical and chemical properties

 

 

CONCEPTUAL THINKING OBJECTIVES

Reading:

	cause-effect logic
	scientific evidence
	hypothesis testing
	summarizing logic

Writing:

	cause-effect links
	objective designing
	experiment planning

Data analysis:

	relevant data sources
	data treatment
	qualitative and quantitative evaluation
	data consistency

Models:

	cause-effect
	correlation
	trends

Working with information:

	science and scientific journal literacy
	WEB and internet skills
	critical thinking
	general knowledge of contemporary problems

 

 

LEARNING ACTIVITY:

	Reading of articles and technical reports
	Group discussion
	Hands on experience
	Workshop exercises
	Computer-aid instruction
	WEB searching/computer as a source of information

           

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

	comprehensive answer to questions formulated as Benchmarks
	demonstrating efficiency in seeking information on WEB
	capability to analyze data for trends and correlation (cause and effect logic, linear correlation)
	discussion skills based on scientific arguments and facts
	awareness of US environmental policy
	developing the experiment according to the defined goal
	careful experimental procedure and proper chemical calculations
	drawing conclusions supported by the results

 

CONTENT:

	Creating the context: What do we know about acid rain?
	Exploration 1A: Broad horizons assignment
	Exploration 1B: Working with information: Web site surfing
	Exploration 1C: Working with information: Literature search and discussion
	Exploration 1D: Working with information: Reports and data treatment

	Looking for trends 1: SO2 emission in the United States
	Looking for trends 2: Environmental effects of SO2 emission
	Looking for trends 3: Are we making any progress in the reduction of SO2 emission?

Exploration 1E: Working with information: EPA regulations

Session 2: Acid rain: Visualization of the problem                
                                                                                                        

	Exploration 2A: Designing the experiments
	Exploration 2B: Effects of SO2 and acid rain on plants  and structure
	Creating the Context 2: Determination of SO2 in air;  West-Gaeke Method
	Exploration 2C: West-Gaeke Method: Calibration curve
	Exploration 2D: West-Gaeke Method: Evaluation of the sulfur content in the ambient air
	Exploration 2E: Working with information/making the link: Home assignment

Prelab reading assignment

	"Headlines: The Dying of the Trees" by Peter Montague
	"Saving the Pyramids: Acid Rain Accelerates the Destruction of the  Maya Ruins in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Central America" by John Noble Wilford
	Acid Rain Program Emission Scorecard 1999

 

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created by TJB.

last updated:  May 29, 2002

updated by Thiri