Lab 4 â Energy Sources and Alternative Energy
Experiment 1: The Effects of Coal Mining
Table 1:
pH of Water Samples
Water
Sample
Initial
pH
Final pH
(after 48 hours)
Pyrite
5 pH
Activated
Carbon
5 pH
Water
5 pH
POST LAB QUESTIONS
1.
Develop
hypotheses predicting the effect of pyrite and coal (activated carbon) on the
acidity of water?
a.
Pyrite hypothesis =
b.
Coal (activated carbon)
hypothesis =
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 =
b.
Coal (activated carbon)
hypothesis accept/reject =
3.
Based
on your data, what effect do you predict coal mining has on the environment?
Answer =
4.
What
can be done to prevent mine drainage from damaging the ecosystem? Utilize at least one scholarly resource to
support your suggestions.
Answer =
Experiment 2: Solar Energy
Table 2: Solar
Energy Experiment Results
Environmental
Descriptor/Variable
Observations
(Each should
be compared against direct sunlight)
Weather
of the Day
Motor
speed in direct sunlight
Motor
speed at 45 degree angle
Motor
speed under reflectors
Motor
speed with 25% shaded
Motor
speed with 50% shaded
Motor
speed with 75% shaded
Motor
speed under red filtration
Motor
speed under blue filtration
Motor
speed under green filtration
Motor
speed under yellow filtration
Post-Lab Questions
1.
Develop
hypotheses predicting the efficiency of solar energy from direct sunlight
against the four variables tested?
Direct vs
indirect hypothesis =
Direct vs
reflected hypothesis =
Direct vs shaded
hypothesis =
Direct vs
filtered hypothesis =
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.
Direct
vs indirect accept/reject =
Direct
vs reflected accept/reject =
Direct
vs shaded accept/reject =
Direct
vs filtered accept/reject =
3.
Does
increased exposure to the sunâs light produce more current? Explain how you
know this based on your data.
Answer =
4.
How
could you increase the electricity generated by a solar cell during the day,
when the sunâs angle is constantly changing?
Answer =
5.
Based
on your data, could adding filters to solar panels increase the solar energy
produced? Explain how you know
this.
Answer =
References
Any sources
utilized should be listed here.
