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Acid Rain Impacts Science Fair Projects

Learn to be a superior science students when you complete acid rain impacts science fair projects.
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Acid rain science fair projects test out new hypotheses...

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Name: Michelle
Grade Level 7th
Awards: Mid-Columbia Science Fair. Award of Distinction for Scientific Thought. Washington State Science and Engineering Fair,first place trophy .

RESEARCH REPORT

Introduction

Daphnia and other micro-organisms are important to the environment. They are a part of the food chain and are the food of many fish. When the survival rate of daphnia decreases, the fish that eat them may die as well. Acid rain is one of the causes of this.

Acid Rain

Acid rain is precipitation with a pH less than 5. 6. It can come in many different forms, such as rain, snow, sleet, hail, mist, dew, fog, frost, or dry precipitation.

Acid rain is measured on the pH scale. PH is used to measure acidity and alkinity. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. The higher the number, the more alkaline and less acidic it is. The lower the number, the more acidic and less alkaline it is. Seven being neutral, anything below seven is considered acidic and anything above seven is alkaline.

Acid rain is formed when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are emitted into the air. These chemicals mix with the water vapor in the air and become nitric acid and sulfuric acid. Winds carry it far from its source. This falls in precipitation. Sulfur and nitrogen oxides are emitted into the air by smokestacks, automobiles, volcanoes, smoke, forest fires, and the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gasoline.

Actions are being taken to prevent acid rain from forming. “Scrubbers” are being put in some smokestacks. Some scientists believe that limestone will neutralize acid in water. Other ways of preventing acid rain is to use natural gas, use alternative energy sources, and conserve energy. It is also believed that adding lime to water will reduce acid. Alkaline neutralizes acid. “Buffers” can prevent lakes and streams from becoming acidic.

Acid rain harms the environment. It harms plants, animals, stone, metal, paint, soil, limestone, and water as well as water life. Healthy lakes usually have a pH between 6 and 8. If the pH is below 5. 0, most water life will die.

Daphnia

Daphnia (also called water fleas) are small crustaceans. They are used in many experiments and as fish food. They can usually be found in freshwater ponds, lakes, or rivers. Daphnia usually eat algae, bacteria, and protozoa.

There are two main types of daphnia. They are daphnia magna and daphnia pulex. Daphnia pulex are smaller than daphnia magna. Daphnia pulex males are usually 1. 5 mm long and the females are usually 2. 5 to 3. 5 mm long. Daphnia magna males are usually about 2 mm long and the females are usually about 3 to 5 mm long.

The average life span of daphnia pulex at 20*Celsius is about 50 days. The average life span of daphnia magna at 20* Celsius is about 56 days and about 40 days at 25* Celsius.

Daphnia reproduce very quickly. There is a new brood every two to three days. There are two types of eggs- “summer eggs” and “winter eggs. ” Winter eggs can lie dormant, have thicker shells, and lots of yolk. Summer eggs have thinner shells and less yolk. Sometimes there may be no males during the summer. Males may be hatched during the summer if conditions are unfavorable.  

Daphnia are less than 0. 3 millimeters long. Daphnia have a transparent shell (carapace), an oval shaped heart, a C-shaped intestine, five pairs of legs, a pointed head, leaf-shaped legs, and are pill-shaped. Their two second antennae are used to swim. The nickname “water flea” comes from their jerky swimming movement. The heart is visible and can be seen beating with a microscope. The males are smaller than the females. The head is not inside the carapace. The young look like adults, except without antennae or a carapace.

Summary

Daphnia are an important part of the environment. If many are killed by acid rain or other pollutants, it will disrupt the food chain, by starving the fish that eat them.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank the following people for helping make my project possible: