Illinois Math and Science Academy
DigitalCommons@IMSA
Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change
Biology
2016
1. "Investigating the impact of changes in carbon
dioxide concentration on ecosystems"
Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, [email protected]
Crystal Randall
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, [email protected]
Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/eco_disrupt
Part of the Biology Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, and the Science and
Mathematics Education Commons
Recommended Citation
O'Leary-Driscoll, S., & Randall, C. (2016). 1. "Investigating the impact of changes in carbon dioxide concentration on ecosystems".
Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/eco_disrupt/3
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Investigatingtheimpactofchangesincarbondioxideconcentrationon
ecosystems
Carbondioxideandtemperature
Question:Doestheconcentrationofcarbondioxideaffectairtemperatureinaclosed
environment?
AdaptedfromTheGreenhouseEffect:DoestheConcentrationofCarbonDioxideAffecttheAirTemperatureinaClosed
Environment?ClimateScienceInvestigations:SouthFloridahttp://tiny.cc/fope9x
Keyconcepts
Thegreenhouseeffect
http://cleanet.org/clean/literacy/index.html)
Carboncycle:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/CarbonCycle/
ChangingatmosphericCO2concentrationsovertime
http://co2now.org/
Methods
1. Filleach500mlflask(totalof3)with100mlofwater.
2. Labeltheflasks,NoCO2,CO2+light,andCO2andnolight.
3. AddAlka-SeltzertabletsintheCO2conditions(eachgroupcanselectthenumberof
tabletstotest,werecommendatleast4).
4. Covereachflaskwitharubberstopperandpositonthermometerthroughstopper.Use
playdoughtomakeasealaroundthethermometer.
5. Placeapieceofplasticwraplooselyoverthethermometeratthetopoftheflask.Place
arubberbandaroundthetopoftheflask.
6. Placeunderappropriatelightconditionandtakeinitialtemperature.
7. Recordtemperatureineachconditionevery2minutesoveraperiodof20minutes.
Results
Air
Initial 2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Temperature Temp min min min min min min min min min min
(0C)
Control0
Alka-Seltzers
Experimental ___AlkaSeltzerslight
Experimental ___AlkaSeltzersno
light
Graphyourdata
Constructalinegraphthatsummarizesyourresults.Includeatitle,labeltheaxes,andincludea
legend.
Discussion
BelowistheequationrepresentingthechemicalreactionthatoccurswhenAlka-Seltzertablets
aredroppedintowater.
C6H8O7(aq)+
3NaHCO3(aq)
→3H2O(l)+
3CO2(g)
+Na3C6H5O7(aq)
citricacid +sodiumbicarbonate→ water +carbondioxide+sodiumcitrate
1. Explainhowthisreactionallowsustomodelthegreenhouseeffect.Howdoesthiscompareto
thegreenhouseeffectonEarth?
2. Whatothervariablesmightyoutestifyouwereabletorepeatthisexperiment?
3. WhatwouldhappentotheglobaltemperatureifmoreCO2isaddedtotheatmosphere?
Carbondioxideandoceanhealth
Question:DoestheconcentrationofcarbondioxideaffectwaterpHinaclosedenvironment?
Keyconcepts:
Oceanacidicficaitonhttp://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/climate_acidocean_prt.html
ChangingatmosphericCO2concentrationsovertimehttp://co2now.org/
Visualizingcarbondioxideuptakebywater:
Whencarbondioxidereactswithwater,aweakacid(carbonicacid)isformed(seechemicalreaction
below).ThemorecarbondioxideyoubreatheintotheBTBsolution,thefasteritwillchangecolorto
yellow.
6CO2+6H2O! 6HCO3+6H+
Tovisualizecarbondioxideproduction,studentswillbreathethroughastrawintoasolutionof
bromthymolblue(BTB).BTBisanacidindicator;whenitreactswithacid,itturnsfrombluetoyellow.
Methods
PARTA:Resting(noexercise)
1.Useagraduatedcylindertomeasureout20mloftapwaterandpouritintoasmallbeaker.
2.Useadroppertoadd8dropsofbromthymolbluetomakeaBTBsolution.
3.Usingastraw,exhaleintotheBTBsolution(CAUTION:Donotinhalethesolution!).
4.Timehowlongittakesforthebluesolutiontoturnyellow.Recordthetime.
5.Washoutthebeakerandrepeatsteps1-4.
6.Averagetheresultsofthe3trials.Recorddata.
PARTB:Increasedmuscleactivity(exercise)
1.Exercisefor1minutebydoingjumpingjacks.
2.Whileyouareexercising,yourpartnershouldgettheBTBsolutionreadyasinPartA.
3.After1minuteofexercise,immediatelyexhalethroughthestrawintotheBTBsolution.Time
howlongittakesfortheBTBtoturnyellow.Recordthisdata.
4.Exerciseasyoudidbefore,butfor2continuousminutes.
5.ImmediatelyexhalethroughthestrawintotheBTBsolution.Timehowlongittakesforthe
BTBtoturnyellow.Recordthisdata.
6.Ifthereistime,repeattheentireprocedureforyourlabpartner.Recorddatafrom2OR3
othersubjectsintheclasstogetmoredata,dependingonifyourpartnerwasableto
participateornot.
Results:
Trial
number
Trial1
Trial2
Trial3
Average
RestingBTBConversionTime
Exercise(1min)BTB
ConversionTime
Exercise(2min)BTB
ConversionTime
Discussion
1. WhydidtheBTBsolutionchangecolorswhenyoublewintoit?
2. WhatimpactdidexercisehaveontherateofcolorchangeoftheBTB?
3. HowmightthisexperimentmodelwhatishappeninginEarth’soceansasaresultofincreasing
atmosphericconcentrationsofcarbondioxide?