Introduction Essays (1461 words) - Oxidizing Agents, Algae

Introduction In the pond water lab experiment, our group has chosen to test the effects of nitrates on a pond community. After a lot of research, we have found that nitrates in a pond community can increase growth rates of plants and some animals. The effects of nitrates include algal blooms, which is when too much food or nutrients are consumed by producers, (i.e. algae) causing them to grow and spread, so they consume all of the dissolved oxygen in the water. Most animals in water like many kinds of fish and some insects need certain levels of dissolved oxygen to live. When it is used up due to algal blooms, they die due to lack of oxygen. It also causes plants who need certain levels of dissolved oxygen to die, so it starves creatures that eat the plants. The safest range of nitrates in an environment is 3-10 PPM. Although too many nitrates can kill them, they still need some small amounts of nitrate. So if there is too little nitrates, then plant life is limited to the amount of food availabl e, giving room for a small, healthy community. The substance enters streams and ponds from fertilizers from farms, animal urine, septic tanks, landfills or agricultural activity. Nitrates are very common. My prediction for this experiment is that the nitrates will cause increased algae growth. Thus providing more food for the creatures in our sample. But since this is a short period of time, I expect the creatures to peak rather than die, because not enough time will pass for the algal bloom process to take place. Purpose Our group is trying to find the effects of increased amounts of nitrates in the pond community. Whether or not it is healthy for creature's living in the environment. In addition, what the results are or the effects of the pollutant on plant life and animal life. Hypothesis I expect for this experiment, that the plant life will thrive more and more with the different levels of nitrates entered into the pond samples. I expect for the animal life in the samples to thrive with the smaller amounts of nitrates added, and in the larger amounts animal life will die due to lack of water purity. Materials ? 4 20oz pop Bottles ? Scissors ? 4 pond water samples (same amounts) ? 4 eye droppers ? Masking tape ? Sodium Nitrates ? Scale ? Microscope (10x, 40x) ? Buckets ? Wet mount Supplies ? Water sifter ? Dissolved Oxygen Test Kit ? Nitrates Test Kit ? Fish net Procedure 1. First go to a pond and use the buckets to collect enough pond water for your experiment. Figure about enough to fill 4 20oz pop bottles. Use the water sifter and any other supplies to catch creatures from the water. 2. Next prepare your containers by taking the 4 20oz pop bottles, and cut the tops off of them, all in the same spot. Then tape all 4 containers together, taping the eye dropper holders on the outside corner of each bottle. Then write your names on the tape. 3. Then, carefully pour 400 ml of pond water into your containers. Make sure you equally measure out the same amount for each container. Then with the fish net, get a handful of creatures from the water and put them equally into you containers. Mark the water level on the container for each sample. 4. Then get your Dissolved oxygen test kit and you nitrates test kit and follow their instructions to test the levels in the water. Record your results, and use safety equipment if noted. 5. Now get a scale to measure your nitrates. The equation is divide 400 ml by x/1,000,000. X= amount of nitrates. 0-10 PPM (Excellent) 30 PPM (good) 60 PPM (fair) We added nothing to our #1 container, we added 2.1 grams of nitrates to #2, 3.2 to #3, and 4.8 to #4. 6. Add the nitrates to your water. Leave the bottles at room temperature. After every 3-4 days, collect data by creating a table. (# of container) 1.2.3.O. 1.2.3.O. 1.2.3.O. 1.2.3.O. 1.2.3.O. 1.2.3.O. 1.2.3.O. 1.2.3.O. 1.2.3.O. 1.2.3.O. 1.2.3.O. 1.2.3.O. 7. Create a chart like this, and pick 3 creatures that a very common in your water sample. I picked... 1. Anacystis 2. Water Flea 3. Swimmer Then add whatever else you see in the O area that stands for Other. Each table is one days