SESSION 1.
ACID RAIN:
WORKING WITH INFORMATION
SESSION OBJECTIVES:
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To
provide you with the information needed to discuss " common claims" |
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To develop your WEB information seeking skills |
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To develop the skills of creative thinking, finding correlation and data
analysis. |
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To make you familiar with the US environmental policy |
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To broaden your horizons and to awake your awareness on global environmental problems. |
CREATING THE CONTEXT:
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT ACID RAIN?(30 min)
Before we start to learn about acid rain, its origin and environmental repercussions, please write the answers to the following questions
What is acid rain? How is it created?
Do you know any effects of acid rain on humans, plants, animals?
What can be done to avoid it?
This session will help you to:
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evaluate your knowledge about acid rain |
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define why you would like to learn about acid rain and other environmental problems. |
EXPLORATION 1A:
BROAD HORIZONS ASSIGNMENT
When this session is finished you will be asked by the instructor to support or not to support the "common claims" related to acid rain.
During your work on the topic try to "extract" supportive information related to the following claims:
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Limitation
in using fossil fuel decreases acid rain precipitation |
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The
acidity of natural water depends on the industrial activity in the
region combined with the weather pattern. |
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We
shouldn’t interfere with the natural activity of our planet. The
"buffer capacity" of the Earth is enormous |
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We
should build taller stacks |
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Atomic energy is the only remedy for the acid rain problems |
EXPLORATION 1B:
WORKING WITH INFORMATION:
WEB SITES SURFING (30min)
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Open NETSCAPE browser. Select one of the searching engines (YAHOO!; EXCITE, etc.?). Think about the key words which can lead you to the most basic sites containing information about acid rain. List them. |
List the sites you have found (print out)
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Which site do you consider as the most useful to fill out your knowledge gaps about acid rain, its formation and origin? |
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Write again the answers for the questions 1-3 from "Creating the context". Are your answers more specific now? |
EXPLORATION 1C.
WORKING WITH INFORMATION:
LITERATURE SEARCH AND DISCUSSION (45 min)
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On the WEB site about acid rain find the list of scientific references, cited papers, or new publications related to the current situation in the field of acid rain. |
Print the list
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As a preassignment before this session you were asked to read two articles about acid rain printed previously from WEB sites. Now working in a group try to answer the following questions about the styles of the read papers: |
"Headlines: The Dying of the Trees" by Peter Montague
Describe how acid rain contributes to "dying of the trees"?
"Saving the Pyramids: Acid Rain Accelerates the Destruction of the Maya Ruins in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Central America" by John Noble Wilford.
Explain the term "chemical weathering"? How it is related to
acid rain?
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How do you understand the comment of Dr. Seymour Lewin that the acid rain
damage to structures is "becoming a worldwide phenomenon? |
EXPLORATION 1D.
WORKING WITH INFORMATION:
REPORTS AND DATA TREATMENT (60 min)
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Working with WEB sites related to acid rain identify the sites
reporting the emission data published by EPA. |
LOOKING FOR TRENDS 1: SO2 EMISSION IN THE UNITED STATES
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From Table
A2 (found on the sites reporting the emission data (1980-1999) published by EPA) choose the emission of SO2 and heat
input in 1999 reported for New York, Ohio, California, Wyoming and Washington. |
Collect
your data on the spreadsheet.
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State |
heat input |
SO2 [tons] |
order of predicted acidity of waters |
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New York |
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Ohio |
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California |
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Wyoming |
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Washington |
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Can you find a correlation? Plot the results of your data analysis.
Please explain what are the reasons for correlation/lack of correlation? |
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Taking into account the formation of acid rain, where would you
expect the lowest pH of water (the most acidic)? and the highest
concentration of sulfate ions (mg/L)? Give your ranking for five chosen
states |
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Analyzing Table A2 found on the EPA WEB site, can you tell something about the strictness of environmental policy in the chosen states? |
LOOKING FOR TRENDS 2: ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF SO2 EMISSION
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Go to the WEB sites related to acid rain ("emission data") and find the most current Isopleth maps reporting the pH, and SO4-2 concentration in rainfall? Calculate the mean value for each category. Introduce the data into your worksheet. Prepare the plot of SO2 emission vs pH and sulfate concentration. Can you see good correlation? |
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State |
SO2 emission[tons] |
average pH |
average [SO4-2][mg/l] |
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New York |
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Ohio |
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California |
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Wyoming |
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Washington |
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Is it in agreement with
your prediction? If not what may be the reason? |
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Look at the Isopleth maps (Found on EPA emission sites reporting pH, sulfate ion concentrations, etc.) for the period 1994-1999. Can you observe any trend in the acidity of rain? Can you give any reason for the observed trend? |
LOOKING FOR TREND 3: ARE WE MAKING ANY PROGRESS IN THE REDUCTION OF SO2 EMISSION?
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Look at emission data
reported for New York Sate and California for 1980, 1985,
1997 and 1999 |
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Do you observe any trend
in the emissions and concentration of SO2 over last few years? |
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What is the reason for this trend? Can you tell something about the strictness of environmental policies in NY and CA? |
New York
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year |
SO2 [tons] |
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1980 |
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1985 |
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1990 |
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1997 |
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1999 |
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California
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year |
SO2 [tons] |
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1980 |
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1985 |
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1990 |
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1997 |
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1999 |
EXPLORATION 1E.
WORKING WITH INFORMATION:
EPA REGULATIONS (60 min)
Working
on the WEB did you find any sites with the US policy about SO2 and NOx emissions?
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What does the government do to minimize air pollution problems? |
What
are the goals of the Acid Rain Program?
Based
on the previous Explorations
do you think that the Clean Air Act is effective?
In
a few points summarize the content of EPA yearly reports on the Acid Rain
Program?
(please make you answers specific and not too long)
LABORATORY REPORT:
PREPARE
A DETAILED REPORT CONTAINING:
An introduction with the objective of your work
Results of the WEB sites search
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Discussion with answers to all questions asked during SESSION 1. |
Discussion of the "Broad horizon assignment"
