Category

EV

P15

Does exposure to different climates affect the pH of a body of

water?

Abstract

In this experiment, I tested the effects of temperature on the pH of a body

of water. I used water from the Huron River to conduct my experiment.

Using a digital pH meter, I took the pH of the water as collected at 20

degrees celsius. Then I exposed it either to a warm temperature

environment or cool temperature environment. After the temperature of the

water returned to 20 degrees celsius, I took a second reading and

identified the difference. I found that the pH of the water that had been

exhibited to warm temperature rose, while the water that had gone

through the cold temperature decreased slightly.

I collected water samples from three sites, the Huron River at Gallup Park,

the River Rouge at Edward Hines Park, and Fleming Creek at the Botanical

Gardens. When the water temperature 20 degrees celsius, I took the pH.

All three sites had a pH of about 8.2 or 8.3.

To expose the water samples to a warm temperature climate, I heated

them over the stove to 99 degrees celsius. To expose them to a cool

temperature climate, I cooled them in a freezer to -10 degrees celsius. I

used Newton's Law of Cooling to calculate how long it would take for all

the water samples in the freezer to reach -10 degrees celsius.

Next, I left all the samples in a room that was 20 degrees celsius. Once the

temperature of the cups returned to 20 degrees, I took the pH. The pH of

the warm climate water was about 8.7 to 8.9, while the pH of the cool

temperature water was about 8.1 to 8.3.

I concluded that the exposure to warm temperature climate will raise the

pH of a body of water. Also, the exposure to a cool temperature climate

will slightly lower the pH of a body of water.

Bibliography

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