Problem:
1) What are the environmental factors that influence changes in the levels of ozone in the local area of Conyers, Georgia?
2) What are some steps that can be taken to improve our local air quality?
3) How does our local air quality compare with those around the country and world?
Methods Used:
A group of five environmental science students and their teacher gathered together after school at 3:45PM everyday from October 1st, 2001 through October 5th, 2001. They collected ozone level readings by using Eco Badges. When the Eco Badges sit outside for one hour, the badges turn varying shades of pink. A darker pink color indicates a higher level of ozone in the atmosphere. The students and teacher observed the color of the Eco Badges and interpreted their meaning by comparing them to color charts that corresponded to ozone readings in parts per billion. The temperatures were determined with thermometers while the wind speeds were figured out with wind meters. The wind directions were recorded according to which direction the wind came. The cloud cover and levels of precipitation were estimated in percents and centimeter measurements, respectively. The type of precipitation was also stated as rain, drizzle, snow, sleet, or none. The ozone level, temperature, humidity, and level of particulates were estimated as high, moderate, or low. The results were recorded on hard copy data tables as well as posted on the International Clean Air Website each day.
Data Collected
Team Members:
Students: Latisha Walker, Gabby Lee, Apple Jones, Courtney Murphy, and Jimmy Turner, Jr.
Teacher: Jennifer Gerhold
Measurement Location: outside Rockdale County High School
Latitude: 33:39
Longitude: 84:00
Monday, October 1, 2001
Ozone Level Reading & Description: 150 ppb, unhealthful
Temperature Reading & Description: 24 degrees Celsius, warm
Cloud Cover (Percent & Description): 0%, no clouds
Wind Speed: 0-5 km/hr
Wind Direction: South
Precipitation Reading & Description: 0 cm and none
Humidity: low
Sunshine: sunny
Particulates: moderate
Tuesday, October 2, 2001
Ozone Level Reading & Description: 225 ppb, unhealthful
Temperature Reading & Description: 28 degrees Celsius, warm
Cloud Cover (Percent & Description): 0%, no clouds
Wind Speed: 0 km/hr
Wind Direction: Northwest
Precipitation Reading & Description: 0 cm and none
Humidity: low
Sunshine: sunny
Particulates: high
Wednesday, October 3, 2001
Ozone Level Reading & Description: 200 ppb, unhealthful
Temperature Reading & Description: 25 degrees Celsius, hot
Cloud Cover (Percent & Description): 0%, no clouds
Wind Speed: 8 km/hr
Wind Direction: Southeast
Precipitation Reading & Description: 0 cm and none
Humidity: low
Sunshine: sunny
Particulates: moderate
Thursday, October 4, 2001
Ozone Level Reading & Description: 250 ppb, unhealthful
Temperature Reading & Description: 26 degrees Celsius, warm
Cloud Cover (Percent & Description): 25%, partly cloudy
Wind Speed: 0 km/hr
Wind Direction: South
Precipitation Reading & Description: 0 cm and none
Humidity: low
Sunshine: sunny
Particulates: moderate
Friday, October 5, 2001
Ozone Level Reading & Description: 100 ppb, good
Temperature Reading & Description: 26 degrees, warm
Cloud Cover (Percent & Description) 90%, cloudy
Wind Speed: 6 km/hr
Wind Direction: North
Precipitation Reading & Description: 2 cm, drizzle
Humidity: average
Sunshine: mainly clouds
Particulates: moderate
Conclusions:
Ozone gas is a molecular compound comprised of three atoms of oxygen. It is considered as air pollution and may be harmful to people, animals, crops, and other materials in the lower atmosphere. Ozone gas is created by the compounds of nitric oxides and hydrocarbons (produced from automobile and factory exhaust) reacting in the presence of sunlight.
As seen in the collected data, the levels of ozone increase as temperature increases. For example, the ozone level on Monday, October 1st was 150 ppb and the temperature was 24 degrees Celsius. By Thursday, October 4th, the ozone level rose to 250 ppb and the temperature was 26 degrees Celsius. Very sunny days also correlated to high ozone levels. In order to decrease ozone levels and therefore increase air quality on these high temperature, sunny days, the students suggested that the government set restrictions on the amount of automobile and factory use on these days. Lower use of machines that produce exhaust will limit air pollution. In comparison to the ozone levels observed elsewhere, they were very similar to the levels collected around the state of Georgia. The ozone levels of Conyers were different to the ones around the country and overseas, such as in Russia, according to the above trends.
Application to Middle and High School Teaching
The International Clean Air Project is an excellent way to introduce middle school and high school students to the use of the Internet as a communication tool. The students can communicate through email with students living around the country and around the world, such as in Russia, who are also doing the project. Each nationality of students can learn about each other on a personal and social level, which would include learning about each other’s school routines, after school activities, customs, and religions. This interpersonal interaction is important to teenagers as they develop their personal identities. The students can also learn what it is like and how scientists collect, analyze, and exchange data on an international level. They begin to recognize that their is a big interconnected world beyond their local community that they can learn from and communicate with for improving the world in which we live.