October 6, 2010
In this activity you’ll learn how CO2 can affectaquatic animals, plants and other livingorganisms in lakes, streams, rivers, andoceans.
You’ll also learn that humans are part of thecarbon cycle and how to calculate yourfamily’s carbon footprint.
Acidic and basic are twoextremes that describe achemical property .Mixing acids and basescan cancel out orneutralize their extremeeffects. A substance thatis neither acidic nor basicis neutral.
The pH scale measureshow acidic or basic asubstance is. The pH scaleranges from 0 to 14. A pHof 7 is neutral. A pH lessthan 7 is acidic. A pHgreater than 7 is basic.
Use gloves whenmixingBromothymol Blue(BromBlue). Put 8ounces of waterand 2 milliliters(ml.) of BromBlueeach into threeclear cups.
Vinegar is a acid. What do you predict willhappen when you add vinegar to theBromBlue? Baking Soda is a base. What doyou predict will happen when you addBaking Soda to the BromBlue?
If you have access to acomputer go on line forinformation and ananimation on thecarbon cycle athttp://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/index.html, “Let’s Learnabout the CarbonCycle”
Plants capture sunlight in thephotosynthesis process-
Water + Carbon Dioxide + Sunlight
Produces Glucose & Oxygen
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1.Carbon is in this form here:
________________________________
2. Carbon is captured by plants with thisprocess:
________________________________
The apple contains this carboncontaining material:
________________________________
3. When the apple is eaten, carbon isreleased here by this process:
_________________________________
4. Carbon is released here by thisprocess:_____________________________
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Fill in the blanks with your team.
Turn to page 5 ofyour Youth Guide.
Let’s state ourhypothesis beforewe begin. Workwith your team tocomplete thissentence, “If we addCO2 to water thenthe BromBlue will……”
Scientists use Independent, Dependent andControlled variables to help them be clearabout their experimental design.
Independent variables answer the question“What do we change?”
Dependent variables answer the question“What do we observe?”
Controlled variables answer the question“What do we keep the same?”
What is your Independent Variable? What willyou change?
What is your Dependent Variable? What willyou observe happening?
What is your Controlled Variable? What willyou keep the same?”
Follow the directions tocomplete part 1 of theExperiment on pages 5-6 in the youth guide.
The person(s) in contactwith the BromBlueshould wear gloves andgoggles.
Turn to page 6 of your Youth Guide.
Let’s state our hypothesis before we begin Part 2.Work with your team to complete this sentence, “Ifwe add a half tablet of effervescent antacid towater then the BromBlue will ……”
What is your Independent Variable? What will youchange?
What is your Dependent Variable? What will youobserve happening?
What is your Controlled Variable? What will youkeep the same?”
Do the ExperimentDo the Experiment
You will use thedata on page 9 tocalculate thecarbon footprintof the Greenfamily. How doesthe Green familycompare to yourown family?
Gas Bill Handout
The upper portion of the pagehas a bill for December. Notethat there were 70 therms usedin December 09 . This iscompared to 72 therms inDecember 08.
The lower part of the page hasa bill for June. Note that therewere 13 therms used in June2010 compared to 10 used inJune 09.
On each bill you can see howgas use changes acrossseasons in the bar graphprovided.
