Air Quality Lab
Collaborators:
Sam Freeman and Ethan Lee
Abstract:
In order to investigate the air quality in Wake Forest, two different factors were measured. Filter paper coated in a thin mixture of water, cornstarch, and potassium iodide was placed outside to measure the concentration of ozone in the air. Also, two notecards with a layer of petroleum jelly on them were placed both outside and inside to measure the amount of particulate matter. After 24 hours, both measuring tools were retrieved. It was discovered that the ozone concentration was calculated to be very high - approximately 130 ppb, although it is suspected that this is a rather large overestimate. Furthermore, it was found that the amount particulate matter on the notecard placed inside was barely noticeable. The notecard on the outside however, had a slightly larger amount of particulate matter on it as well as an unidentifiable brown spot.
Problem:
Wake County is one of the many counties in North Carolina that is not in compliance with the Clean Air Act. Based on Ozone and Particulate Matter measurements, what is the quality of the air in Wake Forest?
Hypothesis:
If the concentration of ozone on a warm, sunny day is measured, then it will be found to be roughly 50 or 60 pbb (a yellow ozone day) because summer-like weather causes ozone concentrations to be relatively high.
If the amount of particulate matter in the air is measured both inside and outside of the school, then it will be found that the outside test collected more particles because wind is able to blow particles around, unlike on the inside.
Parts of the Experiment:
The independent variable is the location where the measuring tools were placed (inside, outside, petri dish ). The dependent variables were the concentration of ozone in the air and the amount of particulate matter in the air. The control groups were the ozone test left inside and the particulate matter test placed in a petri dish. The experimental groups were the ozone test placed outside and the particulate matter tests placed both inside and outside.
Materials:
Potassium Iodide, 5g of cornstarch, one 250mL beaker, 100mL of water, spatula, large graduated cylinder, test tube rack, filter paper, three notecards, tape, microscope slides, microscope Petroleum Jelly, Q-tips, two petri dishes.
Methods:
Ozone Preparation
1. Place 100mL of water and 5g of cornstarch in a 250mL beaker
2. Heat and stir the liquid until it becomes thick and clear
3. Remove from the heat and then stir in 1g of Potassium Iodide
4. Put a piece of filter paper in a petri dish and apply some of the mixture to it
5. Take another piece of filter paper and apply the mixture to it as well
6. Place this piece of filter paper outside but out of direct sunlight
7. Retrieve the filter paper after approximately 24 hours.
Particulate Matter Preparation
1. Smear a thin layer of petroleum jelly on two different notecards
2. Place one notecard outside and place the other somewhere inside using tape
3. Create a control for the experiment by cutting out part of another notecard, applying the petroleum jelly, and putting it in a petri dish.
4. Retrieve the notecards after approximately 24 hours.
Data:
Collaborators:
Sam Freeman and Ethan Lee
Abstract:
In order to investigate the air quality in Wake Forest, two different factors were measured. Filter paper coated in a thin mixture of water, cornstarch, and potassium iodide was placed outside to measure the concentration of ozone in the air. Also, two notecards with a layer of petroleum jelly on them were placed both outside and inside to measure the amount of particulate matter. After 24 hours, both measuring tools were retrieved. It was discovered that the ozone concentration was calculated to be very high - approximately 130 ppb, although it is suspected that this is a rather large overestimate. Furthermore, it was found that the amount particulate matter on the notecard placed inside was barely noticeable. The notecard on the outside however, had a slightly larger amount of particulate matter on it as well as an unidentifiable brown spot.
Problem:
Wake County is one of the many counties in North Carolina that is not in compliance with the Clean Air Act. Based on Ozone and Particulate Matter measurements, what is the quality of the air in Wake Forest?
Hypothesis:
If the concentration of ozone on a warm, sunny day is measured, then it will be found to be roughly 50 or 60 pbb (a yellow ozone day) because summer-like weather causes ozone concentrations to be relatively high.
If the amount of particulate matter in the air is measured both inside and outside of the school, then it will be found that the outside test collected more particles because wind is able to blow particles around, unlike on the inside.
Parts of the Experiment:
The independent variable is the location where the measuring tools were placed (inside, outside, petri dish ). The dependent variables were the concentration of ozone in the air and the amount of particulate matter in the air. The control groups were the ozone test left inside and the particulate matter test placed in a petri dish. The experimental groups were the ozone test placed outside and the particulate matter tests placed both inside and outside.
Materials:
Potassium Iodide, 5g of cornstarch, one 250mL beaker, 100mL of water, spatula, large graduated cylinder, test tube rack, filter paper, three notecards, tape, microscope slides, microscope Petroleum Jelly, Q-tips, two petri dishes.
Methods:
Ozone Preparation
1. Place 100mL of water and 5g of cornstarch in a 250mL beaker
2. Heat and stir the liquid until it becomes thick and clear
3. Remove from the heat and then stir in 1g of Potassium Iodide
4. Put a piece of filter paper in a petri dish and apply some of the mixture to it
5. Take another piece of filter paper and apply the mixture to it as well
6. Place this piece of filter paper outside but out of direct sunlight
7. Retrieve the filter paper after approximately 24 hours.
Particulate Matter Preparation
1. Smear a thin layer of petroleum jelly on two different notecards
2. Place one notecard outside and place the other somewhere inside using tape
3. Create a control for the experiment by cutting out part of another notecard, applying the petroleum jelly, and putting it in a petri dish.
4. Retrieve the notecards after approximately 24 hours.
Data:
Data Analysis:
After factoring in the humidity to the original Schoenbein number, it was concluded that the ozone ppb was about 130. This result is obviously incorrect however as a ppb of 130 qualifies as a "purple" ozone day, which September 9th (the day the tests were done) was nowhere close to being; according to the website of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, September 9, 2013 was a "yellow" ozone day in Wake Forest. The most likely cause of this inaccuracy was that the filter paper testing the level of ozone was at least partially exposed to direct sunlight at some points during the day.
Both of the particulate matter tests came back fairly negative although the one outside did have a small amount of particulates on it as well as a light brown spot. The one inside had almost no particles. This probably had to do with its secluded location in the back of the classroom because a few other groups who placed their inside particulate tests elsewhere found that they had some particulates on them.
Conclusion:
Although the results from the ozone test did not support the hypothesis that the summer-like weather would cause the ozone concentration to be about 50 or 60 ppb, it is believed that the filter paper was exposed to direct sunlight. This means that the results are incorrect and the experiment would need to be redone to yield more accurate information. To do this, it would be necessary to more carefully locate a spot in the shade where the filter paper could be placed.
The hypothesis that the notecard set up outside would gather more particulates than the one inside is able to be supported by the results of the experiment; it was found that, although neither had a very large amount of particulates, the notecard outside had in fact gathered more. It would be interesting to repeat this experiment with a few more notecards that could be placed in different locations both inside and outside. To elaborate, the inside notecard of other groups seemed to gather more particulates than did the one is this experiment, probably due to its secluded location. Placing several notecards around the school would perhaps provide information of where more particulates are located.
Citations:
"North Carolina Air Quality Forecast Center." North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. <https://xapps.ncdenr.org/aq/ForecastCenter>.
After factoring in the humidity to the original Schoenbein number, it was concluded that the ozone ppb was about 130. This result is obviously incorrect however as a ppb of 130 qualifies as a "purple" ozone day, which September 9th (the day the tests were done) was nowhere close to being; according to the website of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, September 9, 2013 was a "yellow" ozone day in Wake Forest. The most likely cause of this inaccuracy was that the filter paper testing the level of ozone was at least partially exposed to direct sunlight at some points during the day.
Both of the particulate matter tests came back fairly negative although the one outside did have a small amount of particulates on it as well as a light brown spot. The one inside had almost no particles. This probably had to do with its secluded location in the back of the classroom because a few other groups who placed their inside particulate tests elsewhere found that they had some particulates on them.
Conclusion:
Although the results from the ozone test did not support the hypothesis that the summer-like weather would cause the ozone concentration to be about 50 or 60 ppb, it is believed that the filter paper was exposed to direct sunlight. This means that the results are incorrect and the experiment would need to be redone to yield more accurate information. To do this, it would be necessary to more carefully locate a spot in the shade where the filter paper could be placed.
The hypothesis that the notecard set up outside would gather more particulates than the one inside is able to be supported by the results of the experiment; it was found that, although neither had a very large amount of particulates, the notecard outside had in fact gathered more. It would be interesting to repeat this experiment with a few more notecards that could be placed in different locations both inside and outside. To elaborate, the inside notecard of other groups seemed to gather more particulates than did the one is this experiment, probably due to its secluded location. Placing several notecards around the school would perhaps provide information of where more particulates are located.
Citations:
"North Carolina Air Quality Forecast Center." North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. <https://xapps.ncdenr.org/aq/ForecastCenter>.