Illinois State Water Survey: Day 2
Water Chemistry
Champaign, IL
UMS WaterWorks students visited the Illinois State Water Survey in a multi day field in September 2005. In day 2 of the two day trip, students learned about water chemistry from a number of ISWS chemists and employees including Mary LaFaivre, Mark Brooks, Mike Machesky, RuthAnn Nichols, Lauren Sievers, Kaye Surratt, Dan Webb, Jennifer Tester, Kathy Konan, and Brian Kaiser. Students learned about water quality testing the in the Public Service Laboratory and they learned about measuring the chemistry of precipitation in the labs of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program. In addition, students received individual instruction in completing labs focused on testing of the chemistry of tap water, surface tension, filtration, acid rain, pH indicators, and dissolving of solutes.
(Left) UMS WaterWorks visits the ISWS; (Right) Mary LaFaivre welcomes the students
Dan Webb teaches the students about the dangers of chemical reactions
(Left) A PSL scientist teaches the students how to test the pH of their water samples using automated technology; (Right) Students prepare their water samples
(Left) Jennifer Tester explains the work in the NADL lab; (Right) Scientists test the chemistry of precipitation gathered all over North America
(Left) Rain water ready for testing and archiving; (Right) Students learn about analysis of rain water using ion spectroscopy
Students learn about measuring phosphorus concentrations with Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy
(Left) Lab activity on pH indicators; (Right) Disappearing statues activity on the effects of acid rain
(Left) Raindrop raceway activity highlighting surface tension; (Right) Measuring pH of tap water using test strips and hand held meters
(Left) Filtration lab; (Right) Surface tension lab (How many drops can you get to fit on a penny?)
Solving dissolving lab teaches about dissolving of solutes in different liquids