Name___________________
Water Quality Lab Packet
Environmental Science
Instructions:
1. READ. Before measuring anything, you need to read the information provided at each
station.
2. PREDICT. Using a scale of 1-10, 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest, rank
the liquids that you are going to measure. Which liquid do you think will have the lowest
turbidity, pH or whatever variable that station is dealing with. Make sure you make a
prediction before you measure anything.
3. MEASURE and RECORD. Using the tools provided measure the different liquids at
the station you are at. When you finish with one station you may work on your
temperature graph until another station opens up.
This lab is worth 75 points and may take several days to complete.
The pH, temperature, and turbidity stations all have information that you need to read at
each station. I will give you a handout that has information for Nitrates, Phosphates and
Dissolved Oxygen.
Turbidity
After Reading the section on turbidity rank the three liquids listed below from most
turbid to least turbid. Remember that the harder it is to see through a liquid the higher the
turbidity. The clearer a liquid, the lower the turbidity. Be sure to wipe your finger prints
off each vile before you place it in the Tubidimeter. Record your data in the table below.
Liquid
Distilled water
Fish tank water
Windex
Water with/ sediments
Predicted Rank NTUs
Questions:
What is turbidity?
What does a high turbidity mean?
What are the effects of turbidity on water temperature?
What are the effects of turbidity on fish and aquatic macroinvertabrates?
What are some natural caused of turbidity?
What are some human influences on turbidity?
How does vegetation growing along a stream bank affect turbidity?
pH
Ion Concentration
Predict what the pH of the following liquids will be. Fill in your guesses in the table below.
After you have predicted measure the pH of each solution using the pH meter or pH test strips.
Fill in the table with your results. You may use the blank spaces for other liquids you may want
to test.
Be sure to rinse the pH meter with Distilled water between each use.
DO NOT CROSS CONTAMINATE THE SAMPLES.
Predict (guess) Measured
Liquid
Tap water
Lime Juice
Fish Tank Water
Distilled water
Ammonia
Pepsi / Coke
Vinegar
Bleach Cleaning Spray
Baking soda and water
Ethyl alcohol
Well Water
Other: ____________
Questions:
What liquid is most acidic?
What liquid is most basic?
What liquid has the highest concentration of H+ ions?
What liquid has the highest concentration of OH- ions?
Is there a difference between distilled and tap water?
What is the pH range optimum for most organisms?
What are the first organisms affected by a drop in pH?
What natural factors affect pH?
What influence do humans have on pH?
Nitrate & Phosphorous
Read the sections on nitrates and phosphorous and answer the questions below.
See Ms. Lathrop for instructions on testing nitrates and phosphorous.
Nitrate (nitrogen)
Predict Rank mg/L
Phosphorous
Tap water
Tap water
Fish tank water
Fish tank water
Distilled Water
Distilled Water
Predict Rank mg/L
1. What are sources of nitrates and phosphorous?
2. How is nitrogen vital for all life? (see notes)
3. How is phosphorus vital for all life?
4. Are nitrates OR phosphorous more likely to be a limiting factor for growth, Why?
5. What effect do nitrates and phosphorous have on plants?
6. What effect can nitrates and phosphorous have on dissolved oxygen?
7. What samples have the highest levels of nitrogen and phosphorus and why?
8. What levels of nitrates and phosphorous do you expect the stream we will be testing to
have? (in mg/L)
Graphing Temperature Scales:
Celsius and Fahrenheit
We are going to be taking temperature measurements in Celsius. In order to become
familiar with the Celsius scale and how it relates to the Fahrenheit scale you are going to
make a graph of the two scales. Once you have drawn this graph you can use it to
convert quickly back and forth between the two scales. Be sure to label you axis and
include units. A good title for your graph would be “Converting From Celsius to
Fahrenheit”
C
-20
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
75
100
F
-4
14
23
32
41
50
59
68
77
86
95
104
113
122
167
212
Questions:
What is the Freezing Point of water in Celsius and in Fahrenheit?
What is the Boiling Point of water in Celsius and in Fahrenheit?
What is 100 degrees F in degrees C?
What temperature is it outside in C and in F?
Which scale has larger units C or F?
Challenge: What is the equation of the line? y=mx+b
Temperature
After reading the selection on temperature answer the following questions:
How is temperature related to dissolved oxygen?
Why is the temperature of the water in a stream important?
How is aquatic life affected by an increase in temperature?
What types of fish require the coldest water to spawn?
What natural factors affect temperature?
How does the size and shape of a stream affect temperature?
How does erosion affect temperature?
What is the optimum growth range for the flathead minnow in degrees F?
Dissolved Oxygen
Read the handout on dissolved oxygen and answer the questions below. Then predict
which samples of water will have the highest and lowest readings for DO. Use the DO
meter to measure the samples.
The meter must be calibrated and the probe should be used to gently “stir” the water as
you are taking a reading. Be sure to rinse the probe in distilled water after each use.
Dissolved Oxygen
Predict
Rank
mg/L
%
Celsius
Temperature
Tap water
Stagnant water
Warm water
Tap Water (shaken)
1. How does dissolved oxygen get into water?
2. Why is dissolved oxygen important?
3. What organisms need high levels of dissolved oxygen?
4. What effect does temperature have on dissolved oxygen?
5. What sample has the highest amount of DO? Why?
6. What sample has the lowest amount of DO? Why?
7. What effect does heating have on DO?
Conductivity
After reading about conductivity, please try to rank the liquids below in order from least conductive to most
conductive, this will be a prediction. Then using the conductivity meter, test them and write down the
results. Also include the temperature of the liquid you are measuring. You must rinse the meter with
distilled water between uses. Be careful not to contaminate the samples. Use the empty spaces to include
other liquids in your measurements.
Liquid
Water with ¼ t salt
Water with ¼ t Sugar
Water with
¼ t Baking Soda
Pepsi / Coke
Fish Tank Water
Tap Water
Distilled water
Well Water
Vinegar
Ammonia
Bleach spray cleaner
Ethyl Alcohol
Rank
uS/cm
Temp in C
t= Teaspoon
Questions:
What natural factors affect conductivity?
What human factors can affect conductivity?
What can the conductivity of a stream tell us?
What liquid has the highest conductivity? Why?
What liquid has the lowest conductivity?
How did your results compare to your predictions?
What do you predict the conductivity of San Pedro Creek to be?
Benthic Marcoinvertebrate Observation Lab
Name___________________
1. Look at and Draw 4 different examples of the Benthic Macroinvertebrate samples. Try
to get one from each of the different Group Taxa.
2. Look at the handout “New Mexico Watershed Watch Order Key” determine what type
of creature you are looking at and which group Taxa it belongs to.
Organism_____________________
Group Taxa____________________
Organism __________________
Group Taxa__________________
Organism_____________________
Group Taxa____________________
Organism __________________
Group Taxa__________________