Archive for year: 2023

Course Syllabus

Course Description

Provides a framework for conducting and evaluating independent research in the fire service by examining the basic principles and methodology for analyzing current fire- related research.

Course Textbook(s)

Kumar, R. (2014). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners (4th ed.). London, United Kingdom: Sage.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Locate, evaluate, and analyze fire-related research. 2. Demonstrate the application of fire research to a research problem. 3. Conduct a literature review of current research on a fire-related topic. 4. Determine the appropriate use of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies within a research project. 5. Draft a fire-related research proposal. 6. Write a fire-related research report.

Prerequisite(s)

No prerequisite courses are required for enrollment in this course.

Credits

Upon completion of this course, the students will earn 3 hours of college credit.

Course Structure

1. Study Guide: Course units contain a Study Guide that provides students with the learning outcomes, unit lesson, required reading assignments, and supplemental resources.

2. Learning Outcomes: Each unit contains Learning Outcomes that specify the measurable skills and knowledge students should gain upon completion of the unit.

3. Unit Lesson: Unit Lessons, which are located in the Study Guide, discuss lesson material. 4. Reading Assignments: Units contain Reading Assignments from one or more chapters from the textbook and/or

outside resources. 5. Suggested Reading: Suggested Readings are listed within the Study Guide. Students are encouraged to read the

resources listed if the opportunity arises, but they will not be tested on their knowledge of the Suggested Readings. 6. Discussion Boards: Students are required to submit Discussion Board posts in Units I-VIII. Discussion Boards

provide students the opportunity for student-to-student and professor-to-student interaction based on relevant course concepts and ideas. Specific information about accessing the Discussion Board rubric is provided below.

7. Unit Assignments: Students are required to submit for grading Unit Assignments. Specific information and instructions regarding these assignments are provided below. Grading rubrics are included with each assignment. Specific information about accessing these rubrics is provided below.

8. Ask the Professor: This communication forum provides students with an opportunity to ask their professor general

FIR 4308, Applications in Fire Research

FIR 4308, Applications in Fire Research 1

questions or questions related to course content. 9. Student Break Room: This communication forum allows for casual conversation with other classmates.

CSU Online Library

The CSU Online Library is available to support your courses and programs. The online library includes databases, journals, e-books, and research guides. These resources are always accessible and can be reached through the library web page. To access the library, log into the myCSU Student Portal, and click on “CSU Online Library.” You can also access the CSU Online Library from the “My Library” button on the course menu for each course in Blackboard.

The CSU Online Library offers several reference services. E-mail (library@columbiasouthern.edu) and telephone (1.877.268.8046) assistance is available Monday – Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The library’s chat reference service, Ask a Librarian, is available 24/7; look for the chat box on the online library page.

Librarians can help you develop your research plan or assist you in finding relevant, appropriate, and timely information. Reference requests can include customized keyword search strategies, links to articles, database help, and other services.

Unit Assignments

Unit I Article Review

For this assignment, use the CSU Online Library databases to locate a peer-reviewed article that is in some way related to the principles of fire chemistry and fire dynamics as well as their effects on emergency situations. You can select any article of interest dealing with this broad topic, which should give you plenty from which to choose. Some examples are reports analyzing a fire or other articles that research what took place at a fire incident. You may also find an appropriate article on the National Fire Protection Association, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Institute of Standards and Technology, United States Fire Administration websites. Be sure to select a full-length article. Letters to the editor, editorials, roundtable discussions, blog postings, or press releases made to look like articles are not acceptable for this assignment. This assignment is to give you practice reviewing articles that contribute to the industry.

The article you choose must meet the following requirements:

be peer-reviewed or scholarly in nature; relate to the concepts within this course and, if possible, to your research proposal topic; and be at least eight pages in length.

The article review you submit must meet the following requirements:

be at least two full double-spaced pages in length not including the title page or reference page; identify the main topic/question; critique the article and share your thoughts on what appears to be valid or invalid; and include your thoughts on whether you agree with the author’s position, and why, or why not?

Be sure to summarize, paraphrase, and cite the information. Do not copy directly from the textbook or from any other source. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations and entries in the reference section. All references and citations used must be in APA style.

Information about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit II Scholarly Activity

Developing the Research Problem and Question

Developing the research question can be one of the most challenging parts of the whole process. A well-defined research question should be narrow in scope and should be a question to which the answer is not already known through other published material. After all, if the answer is already known, there is no need to create a research study to answer that same question again.

This assignment focuses on developing your research problem, the purpose statement, and research question.

First, discuss your research problem. Be sure to support your points with scholarly material. For example, do not simply assert that health and wellness is a problem in the fire service. Demonstrate this by supporting your point with scholarly material. Include a few solid paragraphs of description.

Next, include the purpose statement. This should be a sentence that clearly tells the reader what you intend to accomplish by creating the study.

Finally, create a research question you would like to investigate for your project. Remember that the question needs to be unique. One way to accomplish this is to make the question specific to a particular department or jurisdiction.

This activity should be at least one page in length. Be sure to summarize, paraphrase, and cite the information. Do not copy directly from the textbook or from any other source. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations and entries in the reference section. All references and

FIR 4308, Applications in Fire Research 2

citations used must be in APA style.

Information about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit III Scholarly Activity

United States Fire Statistics

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) collects fire-related data to provide information and analysis on the fire problem in the United States. Fire departments may use this information in multiple ways, including creating a baseline for evaluating programs, increasing awareness, and targeting public education programs.

For this assignment, access the USFA fire statistics page at the following link: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/. Select any one of the topics for which the site provides statistics, including:

trends, causes, where fires occur, who fire affects, and firefighters and fire departments.

In a paper of no fewer than three full double-spaced pages not including the title page or reference page, analyze the information on the USFA fire statistics page under the topic you selected, and explain how the data may be applied to community risk reduction methods in your community. For example, your department may be looking for data to support a public outreach program related to the causes of fire or any of the other topics listed. How can the data presented on the USFA fire statistics page be used to accomplish this? Once you have discussed how the data could support a public outreach program, explain how you would design a study for the community based on those data.

Be sure to summarize, paraphrase, and cite the information. Do not copy directly from the textbook or from any other source. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations and entries in the reference section. All references and citations used must be in APA style.

Information about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit IV Annotated Bibliography

Develop an annotated bibliography of at least three scholarly sources excluding the course textbook that utilize empirical studies for your final paper topic. The purpose of this assignment is to help you prepare for the final research proposal due in Unit VII.

The annotated bibliography submission should include:

Summaries for each source should include the following information: A brief explanation/summary of the source. (Identify what the article is about or explain what the author tested, etc.) Do not copy and paste the abstract or the summary from the article to your paper. Paraphrase and summarize the information in your own words. The whole summary may not be one long quotation. A brief explanation of how this source will contribute to your final paper.

The following are NOT acceptable for academic research and referencing: Encyclopedias Dictionaries Wikipedia, other wikis, or blogs Ehow.com, Ask.com, About.com, Howthingswork.com, or any similar site Websites and other sources that do not provide quality researched materials or that do not use credible sources to support the information in the document.

Each summary should be at least 100 words in length. Your document must use proper APA elements such as a title page, running head, and more. Click here to access the annotated bibliography template.

Information about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit V Scholarly Activity

Developing the Methodology

Selecting the right research method for the project is essential. The wrong research design can result in information that does not answer the research question or data that are not helpful to the researcher. It is important to carefully select the methodology that best suits the research question.

For this assignment, select the most appropriate research method to test the research question for your research report. Begin by explaining whether your research question is asking for quantitative or qualitative data. Then, consider which type of research design you would select if you were actually going to conduct the study. Remember that you will design the study but not actually do the data collection portion for the final paper. This means you can carefully design the most appropriate study for your project without worrying about time constraints that would normally play a role in the data collection step. Which research design is most appropriate? Which design will provide you with results to directly address your research problem?

FIR 4308, Applications in Fire Research 3

In no fewer than two full double-spaced pages, include at least the following for this assignment:

List the most current version of your research problem at the top of the page. Include the most current version of the purpose of your research report next. Explain whether you are designing a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods study, and what constitutes such a study. Be sure to support your points with scholarly material. Include the following information to clearly describe your research design:

participants; instruments, if any; design; and procedure.

Explain why this research method is the best fit for your study. Include a specific design in your response. Support your research method choice with scholarly material from at least three outside sources. At least two of those sources must come from the CSU Online Library.

Remember, this assignment is designed to help you work toward your research proposal.

Information about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit VI Outline

Developing the Outline

Develop a thesis and detailed outline for your final paper topic. The purpose of this assignment is to help you prepare for the research proposal due in Unit VII.

Include at least the following elements in your outline:

an APA formatted title page, a thesis for the introduction, the purpose of your paper with support for your points from scholarly material taking into consideration the benefits and ethical issues associated with the purpose, research question or questions, at least five main section headings for the body of the document, sub-sections to each of those main sections, and recommendations and conclusions.

Click here to utilize the template for this assignment. Be sure to replace template headings with your own content.

Your outline should be at least one page in length. Remember to use in-text citations throughout to show from where information came and to support your points with scholarly material. Include an APA style reference section at the end.

Be sure to summarize, paraphrase, and cite the information. Do not copy directly from the textbook or from any other source. Sites such as Wikipedia, e-how.com, history.com, howthingswork.com, and other similar sources are not scholarly in nature and may not be used for this assignment. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations and entries in the reference section. All references and citations used must be in APA style.

Information about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit VII Research Proposal

The research proposal in this course is designed to allow you to discover, analyze, and interpret a fire-related research problem. A problem is not necessarily a troublesome area but an area of desired improvement. In other words, something may be performing well, yet someone still wants to see it perform even better. That is what a lot of research is all about— how can we do it better?

Include at least the following elements in your research proposal:

a title page; a table of contents; an introduction; the purpose of the research with support for your points from scholarly material; a literature review, which is different from the annotated bibliography, a hypothesis; a description of the research method, what you would do if you were to carry out the study; conclusions and recommendations; and a reference page.

Click here to view the short video for more guidance concerning the proposal assignment. Click here for a transcript of the video.

The proposal should be 10 full double-spaced pages not including the title page, references, abstract, or any appendices. You proposal should provide 12 sources that include empirical studies.

Be sure to summarize, paraphrase, and cite the information. Do not copy directly from the textbook or from any other source. Websites such as Wikipedia, e-how.com, history.com, howthingswork.com, and other similar sources are not

FIR 4308, Applications in Fire Research 4

scholarly in nature and may not be used for this assignment. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations and entries in the reference section. All references and citations used must be in APA style.

Information about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit VIII PowerPoint Presentation

Reviewing the Eight-Step Model

Our textbook presented eight steps to completing a research report. While your final paper in the previous unit went through the research proposal step, it is still important to be familiar with the final steps in the process for future endeavors. For this assignment, take on the role of instructor, and design a PowerPoint assignment explaining each of the eight steps in the process. Do not simply paste information from the textbook or any other source. Use text sparingly on each slide and use the Notes section to further explain the bullet point material you have included on each slide. Please do not paste paragraphs of small font onto the slides. Include at least one slide for each of the eight steps.

Remember to support your points with scholarly material and include citations where needed to show from where the information came. Include a full APA style reference slide at the end. Do not forget to include a title slide with your name on it.

For guidance in creating an effective PowerPoint presentation, review the following resource created by the CSU Writing Center.

http://columbiasouthern.adobeconnect.com/powerpointbestpractices/

For a simple guide on inserting speaker notes into your presentation, click here to view the document PowerPoint Speaker Notes.

Information about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.

APA Guidelines

The application of the APA writing style shall be practical, functional, and appropriate to each academic level, with the primary purpose being the documentation (citation) of sources. CSU requires that students use APA style for certain papers and projects. Students should always carefully read and follow assignment directions and review the associated grading rubric when available. Students can find The CSU Citation Guide by clicking here. This document includes examples and sample papers and provides information on how to contact the CSU Writing Center.

Grading Rubrics

This course utilizes analytic grading rubrics as tools for your professor in assigning grades for all learning activities. Each rubric serves as a guide that communicates the expectations of the learning activity and describes the criteria for each level of achievement. In addition, a rubric is a reference tool that lists evaluation criteria and can help you organize your efforts to meet the requirements of that learning activity. It is imperative for you to familiarize yourself with these rubrics because these are the primary tools your professor uses for assessing learning activities.

Rubric categories include (1) Discussion Board, (2) Assessment (Written Response), and (3) Assignment. However, it is possible that not all of the listed rubric types will be used in a single course (e.g., some courses may not have Assessments).

The Discussion Board rubric can be found within Unit I’s Discussion Board submission instructions.

The Assessment (Written Response) rubric can be found embedded in a link within the directions for each Unit Assessment. However, these rubrics will only be used when written-response questions appear within the Assessment.

Each Assignment type (e.g., article critique, case study, research paper) will have its own rubric. The Assignment rubrics are built into Blackboard, allowing students to review them prior to beginning the Assignment and again once the Assignment has been scored. This rubric can be accessed via the Assignment link located within the unit where it is to be submitted. Students may also access the rubric through the course menu by selecting “Tools” and then “My Grades.”

Again, it is vitally important for you to become familiar with these rubrics because their application to your Discussion Boards, Assessments, and Assignments is the method by which your instructor assigns all grades.

Communication Forums

These are non-graded discussion forums that allow you to communicate with your professor and other students. Participation in these discussion forums is encouraged but not required. You can access these forums with the buttons in the Course Menu.

Click here for instructions on how to subscribe/unsubscribe and post to the Communication Forums.

FIR 4308, Applications in Fire Research 5

Ask the Professor

This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or course content questions. Questions may focus on Blackboard locations of online course components, textbook or course content elaboration, additional guidance on assessment requirements, or general advice from other students.

Questions that are specific in nature, such as inquiries regarding assessment/assignment grades or personal accommodation requests, are NOT to be posted on this forum. If you have questions, comments, or concerns of a non- public nature, please feel free to e-mail your professor. Responses to your post will be addressed or e-mailed by the professor within 48 hours.

Before posting, please ensure that you have read all relevant course documentation, including the syllabus, assessment/assignment instructions, faculty feedback, and other important information.

Student Break Room

This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates. Communication on this forum should always maintain a standard of appropriateness and respect for your fellow classmates. This forum should NOT be used to share assessment answers.

Schedule/Grading

The following pages contain a printable Course Schedule to assist you through this course. By following this schedule, you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted.

Unit I Introduction to the Research Process [ Weight: 12% ]

Read/View: Unit I Study Guide Chapter 1: Research: a way of thinking Chapter 2: The research process: a quick glance Chapter 3: Reviewing the literature

Discuss: Unit I Discussion Board 2%

Submit: Unit I Article Review 10%

Unit II Developing the Research Problem [ Weight: 12% ]

Read/View: Unit II Study Guide Chapter 4: Formulating a research problem Chapter 5: Identifying variables Chapter 6: Constructing hypotheses

Discuss: Unit II Discussion Board 2%

Submit: Unit II Scholarly Activity 10%

Unit III The Research Design [ Weight: 12% ]

Read/View: Unit III Study Guide Chapter 7: The research design Chapter 8: Selecting a study design

Discuss: Unit III Discussion Board 2%

Submit: Unit III Scholarly Activity 10%

FIR 4308, Applications in Fire Research 6

Unit IV Selecting a Methodology [ Weight: 12% ]

Read/View: Unit IV Study Guide Chapter 9: Selecting a method of data collection Chapter 10: Collecting data using attitudinal scales

Discuss: Unit IV Discussion Board 2%

Submit: Unit IV Annotated Bibliography 10%

Unit V Sample Selection [ Weight: 12% ]

Read/View: Unit V Study Guide Chapter 11: Establishing the validity and reliability of a research instrument Chapter 12: Selecting a sample

Discuss: Unit V Discussion Board 2%

Submit: Unit V Scholarly Activity 10%

Unit VI Considering Ethical Issues [ Weight: 12% ]

Read/View: Unit VI Study Guide Chapter 14: Considering ethical issues in data collection

Discuss: Unit VI Discussion Board 2%

Submit: Unit VI Outline 10%

Unit VII The Research Proposal [ Weight: 16% ]

Read/View: Unit VII Study Guide Chapter 13: Writing a research proposal

Discuss: Unit VII Discussion Board 2%

Submit: Unit VII Research Proposal 14%

Unit VIII The Eight-Step Model [ Weight: 12% ]

Read/View: Unit VIII Study Guide Chapter 17: Writing a research report

Discuss: Unit VIII Discussion Board 2%

Submit: Unit VIII PowerPoint Presentation 10%

FIR 4308, Applications in Fire Research 7

Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions

Investigation Manual

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Made ADA compliant by NetCentric Technologies using the CommonLook® software

Key Personal protective equipment (PPE)

goggles gloves apron follow link to video

photograph results and

submit

stopwatch required

warning corrosion flammable toxic environment health hazard

GROUNDWATER AND SURFACE WATER INTERACTIONS

Overview Clean drinking water is vital for all human life. In this lab, students will learn how freshwater sources interact through the natural processes of the hydrosphere (all the water on the planet) and what happens to drinking water supplies when our planet becomes altered by human activities. Students will design models of different scenarios that affect the earth’s surface water and groundwater. The models will demonstrate overconsumption and drought situations, along with water conditions influenced by point and non-point source pollution, to examine human-induced effects on the earth’s water cycle.

Outcomes • Describe the importance of freshwater availability to the health of

human populations. • Construct multiple groundwater and surface water models and

analyze different ways the water can become contaminated. • Distinguish between point and non-point pollution sources and

explain the impact of each. • Recognize the interconnectedness of groundwater and surface

water in the environment.

Time Requirements Preparation …………………………………………………………… 15 minutes Activity 1: High Withdrawal and Recharge ………………… 45 minutes Activity 2: Point Source Pollution …………………………….. 15 minutes Activity 3: Non-Point Source Pollution ……………………… 45 minutes

2 Carolina Distance Learning

Table of Contents

2 Overview 2 Outcomes 2 Time Requirements 3 Background 7 Materials 8 Safety 8 Preparation 9 Activity 1 10 Activity 2 11 Activity 3 13 Submission 13 Disposal and Cleanup 14 Lab Worksheet

Background The hydrosphere encompasses all the water on the planet. It includes freshwater and saltwater; liquid, solid, and vapor; and water that is both above ground and underground. All of these different sources of water interact and transform into one another through processes within the biogeochemical cycle known as the hydrological or water cycle (see Figure 1). Water falls to the earth as precipitation and runs off the land’s surface, infiltrates the ground, or evaporates from surface waters such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. The evaporated water vapor condenses in the clouds and falls to the earth over time as precipitation. Then the process begins again. The water that has infiltrated the ground, known as groundwater, is located in and below the water table, which is the top layer of the soil in which groundwater fills

most of the pores. In the water table, water is able to enter the ground through unsaturated surface soil voids, filling the soil below this level due to natural gravitational pull. With this natural movement of water, the hydrosphere continuously cycles all phases of water to all parts of the earth.

While water encompasses approximately 70% of Earth’s surface, freshwater, which accounts for only 3% of Earth’s water, is the only type of water that is readily accessible for human consumption. However, of that 3%, just under 1% is readily accessible, with the remaining water being held in Earth’s icy regions, which include glaciers and polar ice caps. This is known as the cryosphere, or the frozen portion of the hydrosphere (see Figure 2).

continued on next page

www.carolina.com/distancelearning 3

Figure 1.

GROUNDWATER AND SURFACE WATER INTERACTIONS

Background continued

Groundwater Freshwater available for human use is made up of surface water and groundwater. When precipitation falls from the atmosphere to the earth, it becomes part of the environment by either washing across the land and into bodies of water or by percolating through the surface of the soil. Here, it can be taken up by plants or filtered deep into the ground. In the latter case, this surface water enters the ground through areas known as recharge zones. Water enters these unsaturated zones on the surface of the land by the natural pull of gravity. The porosity of a material is a measure of the void spaces in the rocks and soil, and the ability of water to pass through those void spaces is known as permeability. This water now enters the groundwater system and saturates the ground beneath. People rely on these zones to recharge aquifers. Through the use of wells, people can supply water to their homes.

Deeper into the ground, multiple layers of unsaturated and saturated soil of many different pore sizes and material types exist. Some of these layers are permeable, whereas others are impermeable, which means that water cannot easily pass through them. Many types of ground consist of permeable materials, like rocky sediment, fine sand, or soil. Others are made of less permeable materials that impede the percolation of water, such as claylike dirt, thicker sand, or man-made structures such as paved streets and sidewalks. The types of material that make up the consistency of the ground impacts the ability to access the groundwater.

Groundwater can sometimes be accessed by pumping wells placed in aquifers. Aquifers are underground basins from which water can be removed at a reasonable rate, with the most ideal aquifers containing many pore spaces for water storage. However, the size, depth, and amount of water within an aquifer can vary greatly, making the process of extracting groundwater from an aquifer variable as well. While most of Earth’s accessible freshwater is held in the ground, much of it is too deep for humans to access.

Surface Water The small amount of remaining freshwater accessible for human use is made up of all the surface water from lakes, rivers, and ponds as well as the water vapor in the atmosphere (see Figure 2). There are many regions that don’t have access to groundwater sources and must rely on reservoirs, such as natural and man-made lakes, as a source of drinking water. With surface water making up a small

continued on next page

4 Carolina Distance Learning

67% Saltwater 30% Land 2% Frozen Water 1% Groundwater/Surface Water/

Atmosphere

Figure 2.

percentage of freshwater worldwide, events such as droughts or excessive withdrawal from reservoirs within these areas can cause rapid depletion of vital water for highly populated, metropolitan areas that rely on these sources of drinking water. Also, many human-induced factors can lead to inaccessible freshwater. Impervious surfaces such as roads, parking lots, and buildings can limit the quality of accessible water by creating a surface for the runoff of pollutants into nearby bodies of water. Additionally, most water that is withdrawn from a waterway or aquifer is returned to the environment, but some is taken up by plants and animals or lost to evaporation, adding another source of inaccessible freshwater for humans.

To understand how surface water and groundwater affect each other, let’s investigate some of these same scenarios but from a different perspective. For instance, impervious surfaces not only negatively affect the quality of surface water, but they can also block access to and pollute groundwater sources. Also, when excessive water is withdrawn from a groundwater well that is pumping water stored in the water table, surface water levels can be reduced greatly and can ruin the quality of the water. Similarly, pumping water from a freshwater reservoir can lower groundwater levels and possibly cause contamination.

On the positive side, if there is sufficient rainfall in an environment, the water could overflow the land, feeding into marshes, rivers, or lakes. In contrast, if surface water receives excess rainfall, it could run onto and infiltrate the land to become groundwater. All in all, to truly understand the availability of water in a

region, recognizing the interconnectedness of groundwater and surface water is of vital importance.

Human-Induced Actions that Affect the Water Cycle There are many ways to limit or contaminate the freshwater available to humans. The overload of substances that are harmful to the environment, known as pollution, is a major issue affecting today’s freshwater supply. It is easier to determine the origin of certain pollutants than others; in turn, it is easier to prevent certain pollutants from occurring in the future than others. Point source pollution is pollution that can be tracked to one specific source. This source of pollution is identifiable and able to be limited if proper action is taken to control the pollutant source. A pipe from a wastewater treatment plant discharging waste into a water source (see Figure 3) and a person dumping gasoline into a water supply (such as a lake)

continued on next page

www.carolina.com/distancelearning 5

Figure 3.

GROUNDWATER AND SURFACE WATER INTERACTIONS

Background continued are examples of point source pollution. Many restrictions have been put in place to control waste from industries and wastewater treatment plants, but enforcing them is not an easy task.

If the origin of a pollutant is unknown, it may be difficult to determine how it entered the freshwater supply. Non-point source pollution usually occurs from the movement of pollutants through a system to a different area, making its origins much harder to discover. When water moves toxic chemicals—such as fertilizers and pesticides, oil, and gasolines—over the ground or through an aquatic system such as a river or stream, the pollutants can travel large distances. Figure 4 shows an example of this movement of polluted water over an impermeable surface (road) into the sewer system. All these types of pollutants can start in one region and end

up many miles away, making this type of pollution very difficult to prevent. Non-point source pollution is also the most prevalent type in the environment, making it extremely important to monitor.

While pollution is a big part of what limits our available freshwater resources, there are also issues with overwithdrawal

and overconsumption from aquifers and reservoirs. With very few limits set on water usage in most developed countries, people worldwide use water at a rate that is faster than it is able to be replenished in the environment. Although water is recycled through precipitation, evaporation, and runoff in the water cycle, there is a need for limits on water usage to ensure that sufficient water supplies are accessible. In a model known as the water budget, the inputs, outputs, and storage of water in the environment are calculated and balanced to ensure equal recycling.

However, with droughts and excessive withdrawals occurring in many areas around the world, water usage must be monitored and lowered to keep the budget balanced. In the United States, each person uses an average of 150 gallons of water per day; in multiple developing countries, the average person uses fewer than 10 gallons of water per day. Of the large amount of water that is used by the United States, only 13% is used by households. The other 87% is used by industry and for agriculture. Even though there is only a small percentage of freshwater readily available for human consumption around the world, it is still being used at a rate that can lead to dangerously low levels in the near future.

Through the following activities, you will create groundwater and surface water models to demonstrate the impact of several important factors on drinking water.

6 Carolina Distance Learning

Figure 4.

www.carolina.com/distancelearning 7

Materials Needed from the materials kit:

Sand, 4 cups Gravel, 2 cupsClay, ¼-pound blue bar

2 Pieces aquarium tubing

Kool-Aid® drink mix packet

Plastic container, 64 ounces

Plastic cup

Needed from the equipment kit:

Reorder Information: Replacement supplies for the Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions investigation can be ordered from Carolina Biological Supply Company, item number 580817.

Call: 800.334.5551 to order.

Needed but not supplied: • Water • Tape • Plastic bowl/container • Scissors • Paper towels

• Stopwatch (or a cell phone with a timer)

• Camera (or cell phone capable of taking photographs)

Syringe, 10 mL3 Straws2 Plastic tubes

Foam cupDisposable pipet

Important: Items will be reused. Do not throw anything away between activities. You will rinse items such as sand and gravel over a plastic bowl/container placed in the sink to separate the materials from each other; the bowl will prevent any excess materials from clogging the sink. You will rinse the syringe and aquarium tubing between activities and reuse them. You will also use the clay and Kool-Aid® drink mix for multiple activities, so be sure to save these materials.

Permanent marker

GROUNDWATER AND SURFACE WATER INTERACTIONS

Safety Wear your safety goggles, gloves, and lab apron for the duration of this investigation.

Read all instructions for these laboratory activ- ities before beginning. Follow the instructions closely, and observe established laboratory safety practices, including the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

Do not eat, drink, or chew gum while performing these activities. Wash your hands with soap and water before and after performing each activity. Clean the work area with soap and water after completing the investigation. Keep pets and children away from lab materials and equipment.

The clay may stain your clothing and hands, so be sure to use care and wash your hands thoroughly after handling this item, in partic- ular. Make sure to wear your gloves and your lab apron when handling the clay.

continued on next page

8 Carolina Distance Learning

Preparation 1. Read through the activities. 2. Obtain all materials. 3. Find a large, open table to serve as the work

area. Clean the work area. 4. Have a trash can and an accessible sink

nearby.

A High Withdrawal and Recharge

In the following activity, you will learn the importance of the water cycle and how withdrawal and recharge are two processes that continuously affect the environment but are not always in a balanced state. You will create a model where a drinking water reservoir and a layer of land with ground- water wells within it will be separated from each other by an impermeable layer. To help better understand the interconnectedness of the two water systems, you will determine different rates of withdrawal and recharge.

How do you think the removal of water from the well will affect the water in the reservoir? Propose a hypothesis stating whether you think the water level in the reservoir will rise, drop, or remain the same, and describe your reasoning. Complete this information in the “Hypotheses” section of the Lab Worksheet.

1. Place a block of clay in the plastic container so it is one-third of the total distance away from one side of the container. This piece of clay will act as an impermeable retaining rock, so make sure to mold the clay so that it fits tightly on the sides and on the bottom of the container. If you find the block of clay difficult to mold, heat it in a microwave on high power for 7 seconds, and it will become much more pliable.

2. The smaller section will represent the reservoir and the larger section will be the aquifer, as seen in Figure 5.

3. Take one of the clear plastic tubes (not to be confused with the aquarium tubing), and cut it in half with a pair of scissors. These two cylinders will model wells drilled into the ground to reach the aquifer.

4. Add just enough sand to cover the bottom of the aquifer section, spreading the sand with your hands to level it out.

5. Place the two cut plastic tube pieces (wells) upright in the sand near the edge of the container in the aquifer farthest from the clay bar at random areas (see Figure 5). Ensure that each well is seated firmly against the bottom of the container.

6. Add another layer of sand, making sure to have the sand slightly higher up on one well than the other.

7. Form the next layer of the aquifer by adding enough gravel to cover the sand while cre-

continued on next page

www.carolina.com/distancelearning 9www.carolina.com/distancelearning 9

ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY 1

Figure 5. Figure 6a.

Figure 6b.

ating a slight incline. Form the top of the incline around the wells. The gravel hill should slope down- ward toward the retaining wall (clay) and should be even with the top of the clay (see Figure 6a and 6b).

ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY 1 continued 8. To represent precipitation, poke

approximately 10 holes in the bottom of the foam cup and fill it with water (over the model), allowing the water to sprinkle onto the top of the slope, near the edge of the container behind the wells. Some water may leak into the reservoir.

9. Fill the smaller section (the reservoir) with water until the water level rises a few centimeters over the clay retaining wall.

10. The top of the water table is represented by the height of the water in each of the wells.

11. Insert a straw into one of the wells until it touches the bottom. Hold your forefinger tightly over the open end of the straw to create a seal, and then remove the straw from the well. Use the permanent marker to draw a line to mark the top of the water level in the straw. This line represents the top of the water level in the aquifer.

12. Using a disposable pipet, drain this well by squeezing the round bulb of the pipet before putting it into the water, putting the pipet tip down into the water, and releasing the bulb to suck up the water. This water can be placed in a cup for disposal. Use the pipet to empty all the water in this well. (There may be a mixture of sand and water removed.)

13. As soon as you have removed all the water in the well, place the straw back into the bottom of the well and remove a water sample as you did in Step 11. Mark the top of the water column with a permanent marker as before. This represents the level of water in the well after a period of high withdrawal. Record your observations

in the “Observations” section of the Lab Worksheet.

14. Wait 2 minutes and observe what happens to the drained well. Measure the water level again using the straw and the permanent marker, and note if the height of the water table has changed in the “Observations” section of the Lab Worksheet. Has the height of the water table decreased or increased? Take a photograph, zooming in on the markings on your straw to show how much this water level has changed. Include in your photograph a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it. You will be uploading this photograph to your lab report.

15. If needed, refill the reservoir with water until the water level rises a few centimeters over the retaining wall (as in Step 9).

16. Repeat Steps 11–14 using the other well.

ACTIVITY 2 A Point Source Pollution

For this activity, you will create a model of point source pollution: a large industrial plant is disposing of its waste materials through a discharge pipe into a drinking water reservoir. You will see how these pollutants play a role within the water cycle and if an impermeable layer has an effect in blocking contamination of the groundwater.

Do you think that the polluted water from the reservoir will enter the groundwater supply? Propose a hypothesis stating what you think will

continued on next page

10 Carolina Distance Learning

happen, and describe your reasoning. Complete this information in the “Hypotheses” section of the Lab Worksheet.

1. If the water from the reservoir in Activity 1 has a large amount of sand in it, pour it into a bowl and remove any excess sand from the reservoir. Do your best to let only water drain from the aquifer section, keeping all other materials (clay, sand, gravel, and tubes) in place.

2. Take one of the thinner, flexible aquarium tubes and cut it in half. This will act as a discharge pipe from an industrial plant.

3. Tape the aquarium tube half to the inside of the plastic container in the reservoir, making sure the opening is not touching the bottom of the container.

4. Fill the reservoir with clean water until it is just above the top of the clay.

5. Take a cupful of water and pour a small amount of Kool-Aid® drink mix into it (just enough for the water to change color). Mix well. This will represent the waste (pollutant).

6. Use the 10-mL syringe to suck up the waste. 7. Attach the end of the syringe to the aquarium

tube, and inject the waste into the aquarium

tubing (discharge pipe) you created (see Figure 7).

8. Observe and record what happens to the water in the reservoir as you pump the waste into the discharge pipe in the “Observations” section of the Lab Worksheet.

9. Next, insert a straw into one of the wells until it touches the bottom. Hold your forefinger tightly over the open end of the straw to create a seal, and then remove the straw from the well (as in Activity 1) to see if the polluted water has made its way into the groundwater supply.

10. To verify, wait 1 minute and repeat Step 9; then wait another minute and repeat the step again.

11. Take a photograph of your model with your straw in the picture to show if there is any pollution occurring in the groundwater supply. Include in your photograph a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it. You will be uploading this photograph to your lab report.

12. After you have completed this activity, obtain a medium- to large-size plastic bowl/container. Take a handful of the gravel and sand mixture. Rinse water through it, separating the gravel (in your hand) from the sand and water mixture (now in the bowl). Place the gravel on a paper towel to the side; let the excess water drain into the bowl, either in the sink or outside on the ground, being careful to retain as much sand as possible in the bowl. Reuse the sand and gravel for Activity 3. If weather permits, this step can be done outside for easier cleanup.

www.carolina.com/distancelearning 11

Figure 7.

Figure 8. Figure 9. Figure 10.

ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY 3 A Non-Point Source Pollution

In this activity, you will see the effects on drinking water in two locations:

• a house on a hill, where drinking water comes from a well confined under an impermeable layer

• a house located downhill by a pond, where drinking water comes from a well in a permeable layer

All the land between the two houses is fertilized each year, and both homeowners want to know the effects that this potential pollutant (fertilizer) has on their water source in the event of runoff from a rain event.

Hypothesize how adding fertilizer to this new model will affect the other components of the model. Describe your reasoning. In your hypothesis, you should consider the following: 1) the groundwater, 2) the pond water, and

3) the drinking water reservoir. Complete this information in the “Hypotheses” section of the Lab Worksheet.

1. Take the bar of clay from the previous activity, and flatten it out as much as possible, making an approximate 6 × 6 cm square.

2. Cut the remaining aquarium tube in half, taping one piece to the inside (on a short side) of the plastic container, midway down. Tape the other half of the aquarium tube opposite the previous one and at the same depth in the plastic container. These tubes represent wells (see Figure 8).

3. Choose one side of the container, and fill it with sand to a depth slightly higher than the bottom of the well, as shown in Figure 9.

4. On the other side, make a slope of sand a few centimeters higher as you continue placing sand throughout the container. Supplement this layer with a layer of gravel on top, continuing the sloped approach (see Figure10).

continued on next page

12 Carolina Distance Learning

Figure 11. Figure 12.

5. Place the flattened piece of clay on top of the uphill side, and mold the clay so that it fits tightly around the well (see Figure 11). This will act as an impermeable layer.

6. Top the model with a thin layer of sand, continuing with the sloped approach.

7. In the sand/gravel mixture at the bottom of the hill, dig a small circular hole. Using a plastic cup from the equipment set, pour water into the hole to represent a pond (see Figure 12).

8. Take the opened Kool-Aid® drink mix packet and sprinkle the remaining contents along the surface of the sloped land. This will act as fertilizer on the landscape.

9. Put water (without Kool-Aid® drink mix) in the foam cup, and shake the cup along the land to simulate rain. Observe what happens to the fertilizer and how it affects both the groundwater and pond water (by tracking the now-colored water), and record your observations in the “Observations” section of the Lab Worksheet.

10. Wait 30 seconds, and then use the 10-mL syringe to pump water out of the well that is not surrounded by the impermeable clay layer. Observe the color of the water that came

out of the well along with the pond water color. (Some sediment may be sucked into the syringe during this step.) Record your observations in the “Observations” section of the Lab Worksheet. Take a photograph of your model with the syringe in the picture to show the color of the water. Include in your photograph a

www.carolina.com/distancelearning 13

strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it. You will be uploading this photograph to your lab report.

11. Now use the syringe to draw water from the uphill well that is confined by an impermeable layer. Observe the color of the water that came from this well. (Some sediment may be sucked into the syringe during this step). Record your observations in the “Observations” section of the Lab Worksheet.

Submission Using the Lab Report Template provided, submit your completed report to Waypoint for grading. It is not necessary to turn in the Lab Worksheet.

Disposal and Cleanup 1. Rinse and dry the lab equipment from the

equipment kit, and return the materials to your equipment kit.

2. Dispose of any materials from the materials kit in the household trash. The plastic container may be recyclable.

3. Sanitize the work space, and wash your hands thoroughly.

ACTIVITY

Lab Worksheet

14 Carolina Distance Learning

Hypotheses

Activity 1.

Activity 2.

Activity 3.

www.carolina.com/distancelearning 15

Observations

Activity 1.

Activity 2.

Activity 3.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions

Investigation Manual

www.carolina.com/distancelearning 866.332.4478

Carolina Biological Supply Company www.carolina.com • 800.334.5551 ©2019 Carolina Biological Supply Company

CB781621908 ASH_V2.2