Science Lab

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Name:

 

Date:

 

Instructor’s Name:

 

Assignment: Lab Report

 

Title: Analysis of Energy Sources

 

Instructions: You will write a 1-page lab report using the scientific method.

 

When your lab report is complete, post it in Submitted Assignment files.

 

Part I: Using the lab animation, fill in the data table below to gather your data, and use it to help you generate your hypothesis, outcomes, and analysis.

 

 

  Energy Source Fuel (Coal)/Uranium Needed (tons) CO2 Emissions
(tons)		 Sulfur Dioxide and Other Emissions (tons) Radioactivity mSv (millisievert) Solid Waste (tons) Accidents
Quarter 1 Coal            
Nuclear            
Quarter 2 Coal            
Nuclear            
Quarter 3 Coal            
Nuclear            
Quarter 4 Coal            
Nuclear            

 

 

Part II: Write a 1-page lab report using the following scientific method sections:

  • Purpose
    • State the purpose of the lab.
  • Introduction
    • This is an investigation of what is currently known about the question being asked. Use background information from credible references to write a short summary about concepts in the lab. List and cite references in APA style.
  • Hypothesis/Predicted Outcome
    • A hypothesis is an educated guess. Based on what you have learned and written about in the Introduction, state what you expect to be the results of the lab procedures.
  • Methods
    • Summarize the procedures that you used in the lab. The Methods section should also state clearly how data (numbers) were collected during the lab; this will be reported in the Results/Outcome section.
  • Results/Outcome
    • Provide here any results or data that were generated while doing the lab procedure.
  • Discussion/Analysis
    • In this section, state clearly whether you obtained the expected results, and if the outcome was as expected.
    • Note: You can use the lab data to help you discuss the results and what you learned.

Provide references in APA format. This includes a reference list and in-text citations for references used in the Introduction section.

Give your paper a title and number, and identify each section as specified above. Although the hypothesis will be a 1-sentence answer, the other sections will need to be paragraphs to adequately explain your experiment.

When your lab report is complete, post it in Submitted Assignment files.

 

Introduction

There are many perceived concerns with using nuclear energy as a primary energy source to generate electricity. Possibly, when you think of nuclear energy, one of the main thoughts that might pop into your heads is unstoppable destruction. If you link that thought along with the high costs of building nuclear power plants and the difficulties in radiation waste management, the hesitation about using nuclear energy as a resource for electricity production is understandable. However, with no definitive reliable and renewable energy sources being used in the world, what are your choices when you consider the needs for human sustainability? Fossil fuels, despite their description as being nonrenewable and an important source of pollution, still provide the world with about two thirds of its electricity, with the fossil fuel coal making up the greatest contribution.

Below you will see two graphic that represent the addition of coal or uranium that is mined as a fuel source for either a coal-fired or nuclear power plant, respectively. A data table will be displayed below each graphic to quantify pollutants associated with coal-fired and nuclear power plants. Use this information to complete your lab worksheet and help you accept or reject your hypothesis.

Coal Plant

Coal Plant Pollutants

Note on Radioactivity: A coal plant releases 100 times more radioactivity than a nuclear power plant because of the natural presence of radioactive compounds (uranium, thorium) in the coal. Millisievert (mSv) is a high-level radiation unit, and 1 mSv = 1/1,000 of a sievert. This is used to express the level of radiation exposure, which indicated an individual’s increased risk of developing cancer.

Nuclear Plant

Nuclear Plant Pollutants

Note on Radioactivity: A coal plant releases 100 times more radioactivity than a nuclear power plant because of the natural presence of radioactive compounds (uranium, thorium) in the coal. Millisievert (mSv) is a high-level radiation unit, and 1 mSv = 1/1,000 of a sievert. This is used to express the level of radiation exposure, which indicated an individual’s increased risk of developing cancer.

Reference

Nebel, B.J., & Wright, R. T. (2008). Environmental science: Toward a sustainable future. (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

 
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