SCI 207 Week 4 Lab
Charles Jacquier
Lab 4 – Energy Sources and Alternative Energy
SCI 207
Professor Selhorst
Experiment 1: The Effects of Coal Mining
Table 1: pH of Water Samples
Water Sample
Initial pH
Final pH (24-48 hours)
Pyrite
5
5
Activated Carbon
5
7
Water
5
5
POST LAB QUESTIONS
1. Develop hypotheses predicting the effect of pyrite and coal on the acidity of water?
a. Pyrite hypothesis = If pyrite is added to water, it will make the water more acidic.
b. Coal hypothesis = If the activated carbon is added to the water, it will make the water more acidic.
2. Based on the results of your experiment, would you reject or accept each hypothesis that you produced in question 1? Explain how you determined this.
a. Pyrite hypothesis accept/reject = The hypothesis was rejected as no change occurred in pH levels after testing the sample with a pH strip
b. Coal hypothesis accept/reject = The hypothesis was rejected as the pH level rose from 5 to 7 after testing the sample with a pH strip, which would indicate a rise in alkalinity.
3. Based on your data, what effect do you predict coal mining has on the environment?
Answer = Based upon the data collected, there does seem to be a small effect on the environment, however, based upon knowledge of the subject, coal mining can and does have a significant adverse effect on the environment.
4. What can be done to prevent mine drainage from damaging the ecosystem? Utilize at least one scholarly resource to support your suggestions.
Answer = Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the more serious environmental problems in the mining industry. AMD is the major pollutant of surface waters in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States (US EPA, 2006). The formation of AMD is a very complex chemical and microbial process, and usually occurs where deep excavations, such as those associated with coal mining, expose unweathered pyritic materials. Water contaminated by AMD on permitted sites where
Lab 4 – Energy Sources and Alternative Energy
SCI 207
Professor Selhorst
Experiment 1: The Effects of Coal Mining
Table 1: pH of Water Samples
Water Sample
Initial pH
Final pH (24-48 hours)
Pyrite
5
5
Activated Carbon
5
7
Water
5
5
POST LAB QUESTIONS
1. Develop hypotheses predicting the effect of pyrite and coal on the acidity of water?
a. Pyrite hypothesis = If pyrite is added to water, it will make the water more acidic.
b. Coal hypothesis = If the activated carbon is added to the water, it will make the water more acidic.
2. Based on the results of your experiment, would you reject or accept each hypothesis that you produced in question 1? Explain how you determined this.
a. Pyrite hypothesis accept/reject = The hypothesis was rejected as no change occurred in pH levels after testing the sample with a pH strip
b. Coal hypothesis accept/reject = The hypothesis was rejected as the pH level rose from 5 to 7 after testing the sample with a pH strip, which would indicate a rise in alkalinity.
3. Based on your data, what effect do you predict coal mining has on the environment?
Answer = Based upon the data collected, there does seem to be a small effect on the environment, however, based upon knowledge of the subject, coal mining can and does have a significant adverse effect on the environment.
4. What can be done to prevent mine drainage from damaging the ecosystem? Utilize at least one scholarly resource to support your suggestions.
Answer = Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the more serious environmental problems in the mining industry. AMD is the major pollutant of surface waters in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States (US EPA, 2006). The formation of AMD is a very complex chemical and microbial process, and usually occurs where deep excavations, such as those associated with coal mining, expose unweathered pyritic materials. Water contaminated by AMD on permitted sites where
References: Acid Mine Drainage. (2006). EPA. Retrieved August 2, 2013, from http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/acid_mine.cfm