Chapter 11: AP Environmental Science in the Lab

Chlorine

________ is associated with limestone deposits but is not common in other soils, rocks, or minerals.

NaCl

________ is applied to roads and parking lots and can run off into streams.

calcium compound

A(n) ________ can be used to try to wash the contaminant from the air column.

Secchi Disk

A(n) ________ may be used to measure turbidity, but a more accurate measure can be made with a turbidity unit.

Potash

________- common name for a compound that contains one of the potassium oxides.

sample tube

When the ________ is inserted into the spectrophotometer, the instrument passes light through the ________ and measures the amount of light that passed through or was absorbed.

Iron

________ necessary for plant growth is unavailable when the soil becomes alkaline.

Organic material

________ is also high in nutrients.

mesh screen

Use ________, cheese cloth, and soil settling in water tubes to determine the percent of each type of particle in the sample.

Permeability

________- the movement of gas or liquid through the soil.

Fecal coliform

________- Any bacteria that ferments lactose and produces gas when grown in lactose broth.

humus

Percent ________- A measure of soluble organic constituents of soil; the higher the number, the better.

badge

The ________ or KI sample changes color in the presence of ozone and becomes more intensely colored as the amount of ozone increases.

important plant nutrient

Nitrates- As a(n) ________, nitrogen is typically found in fertilizer and is a component of runoff from agricultural lands.

marble

Buffering capacity- Resilience of different types of bedrock, such as ________, granite, and basalt, when exposed to acid.

Chlorine EPA standards

________ dictate that Cl can not exceed 250 mg /L.

Phosphate

________- An important plant nutrient, typically found in fertilizer and runoff from agricultural lands.

Carbon Dioxide

________: In this lab, a commercial sampling device is used to determine the amount of carbon dioxide in an air sample.

Turbidity

________ can be observed with a spectrophotometer.

Variables

________: In population growth experiments, often other variables are added to samples of bacteria to compare the growth of a normal population to one that has been altered in some way.

Scrubber Model

________: A model of a scrubber can be constructed to attempt to remove sulfur contaminates from burning coal.

natural waters

Unpolluted ________ have a concentration of 5 mg /L or less.

Biodiversity of Invertebrates

________: Insects can be counted in an area and then plotted to assess biodiversity.

Lichen

________: A lichen survey can be used to judge air quality.

primary consumers

They identify the organisms that are producers, ________, and secondary consumers and determine how many levels make up the food chain, what organisms act as decomposers, and the presence of symbiotic relationships.

Hardness A measure of salts

________ composed of calcium, magnesium, or iron.

Lichens

________ are sensitive to air pollution, particularly sulfur dioxide.

Sample kits

________ have tools for many different tests- for example, the LaMotte kit and the spectrophotometer type kit.

Organic soil

________ has qualities of both sand and clay.

Hard water

________ is more than 121 ppm, and soft water is less than 20 ppm.

Marble

________ has high calcium content and is a better buffer than other rocks.

Turbidity

________ and Bacteria: When studying bacteria, ________ is commonly observed and recorded.

Soil Testing Laboratory

In this lab, soil is tested for physical traits and chemical properties, which provide information about the soils condition and suitability for crops, septic fields, or other purposes

Water Chemical and Physical Analysis

Water can be tested from many different sources

Air Quality

Air quality can be assessed using various methods

Particulates

Sticky paper can be used to collect air particulates from various sources, and then the paper can be examined under a microscope

Ozone

In this lab, an eco badge or a homemade potassium iodide gel sampler is hung or worn in order to collect data on tropospheric ozone

Carbon Dioxide

In this lab, a commercial sampling device is used to determine the amount of carbon dioxide in an air sample

Lichen

A lichen survey can be used to judge air quality

Scrubber Model

A model of a scrubber can be constructed to attempt to remove sulfur contaminates from burning coal

Biodiversity of Invertebrates

Insects can be counted in an area and then plotted to assess biodiversity

Energy Audit

In this lab, students are asked to use their homes as a laboratory and perform an energy audit, examining the amount of electricity used by their families over a set period of time and then using appliance standards to determine which is the largest energy consumer

Food Chain

In this lab, students observe a natural ecosystem and examine the food chain

Mining

Students can construct a model of a mine, representing the rock layers and the mineral deposits

Population Growth

Population growth experiments can involve fast-growing populations such as bacteria, duckweed (Lemma minor), roly-polies (sowbugs), or fruit flies (Drosophila) and can involve graphing, as does the analysis of human population data

Variables

In population growth experiments, often other variables are added to samples of bacteria to compare the growth of a normal population to one that has been altered in some way

Turbidity and Bacteria

When studying bacteria, turbidity is commonly observed and recorded

Population Size

In this type of lab, the size of a population of species such as the gypsy moth, caterpillar, or other insect is studied