Environmental Systems for IB - Lab Report Example

Lecturer: Environmental Systems for IB Comparing CO2 in the School Carpark and the Field during the Day and After School Day Background: Carbon dioxide is primarily the greenhouse gas emitted by burning fossil fuels through human activities for energy. Combustion of fuels like diesel and gasoline for transport contributes about 32% of total CO2 emissions in US and with the increasing number of vehicles operating, the emissions level keep rising consequently (Hill, 2010). According to the experiment to measure CO2 emission in the school car park and the field, during the day and after school, the results during the day were- car park: 610 ppm and field: 585 ppm. After school when there were more cars around to pick up children, the results were- car park: 725 ppm and field: 597 ppm. The results were obtained from an accurate and tested carbon dioxide meter. 1. The study shows the critical link between CO2 concentrations and energy addition to the system 2. As humans continue in their daily businesses, CO2 emission grows in succeeding years 3. Besides burning fossil fuels, there are several other factors contributing to CO2 emission to the environment. Design Research Question: Does the increase in energy production lead to a subsequent increase in CO2 emission to the environment? Does burning down fossil fuels increase the emission of CO2 to the environment? Hypothesis: An increase in burning of fossil fuels causes an increase in CO2 emission. With an increase in the number of cars at the car park picking up students after school, there is an increase in CO2 emission to the environment as compared to times when there are no cars on the compound. Burning fossil fuel is the main source of energy to power the vehicles and that means with more vehicles around the compound burning fuel for energy, more CO2 gets released to the environment. Fossil fuels contain elements like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen among others. They release carbon monoxide when burning which mixes with oxygen in the atmosphere to form carbon dioxide. The smoke released from the exhaust pipes of vehicles are essentially carbon dioxide and since they are not trapped in any way, they get released directly to the environment. As many cars park or move around the carpark, the amount of CO2 released directly to the surrounding environment increases. Also, even when the vehicles are not in motion, the engine is still hot and the fuels continue to evaporate and release CO2. Variables: Independent Variables: The amount of CO2 measured and the wind conditions of the environment. Dependent variables: The number of cars at the carpark. The measure of CO2 emission was noted every thirty minutes after a vehicle drove into the carpark. Controlled variables: The carbon dioxide meter. The meter had to be checked to ensure that the initial measure was standard. To ensure no errors were present, different devices were used and the results compared in order to detect any variances which would indicate an error. Materials: BAPI’s CO2 sensor with data logger Stand and Clamp Automatic Digital surveillance Camera Personal Computer Adhesive masking tape Stopwatch Recording book Experimental Setup: The CO2 sensor mounted on the stand is placed outside around the carpark and the field area with free air circulation. The sensor was fastened on the clamp stand with the adhesive tape. The digital surveillance cameras were set at strategic locations to ensure that every car driving to the car park was noted and measurement recorded after every thirty minutes timed by the stopwatch. Procedure: 1. Place 3 clamp stands in the field and the car park area each. Ensure you place the stand in an open area with free air circulation (away from buildings and enclosures). 2. Clamp the CO2 sensors on each clamp stand and fasten with safety adhesive tapes. 3. Mount the digital video camera strategically to capture any vehicle driving to the car park and network the video camera to a personal computer. 4. Using a stop watch, count every thirty minutes and record the readings on the sensor during the day time. (The procedure should be followed on the field and the car park area. It is advisable to have two separate groups to take the recordings separately) 5. Record the data on the sensor twice independently every hour from the different sensors. 6. After every car drives into the car park, using the stopwatch, count every thirty minutes and record the readings on each sensor. The recordings should be done between 10 a.m-12 p.m. and 3 p.m-5p.m after school. That means that recordings will be taken 4 times during the daytime and 4 times from each sensor after school hours when students get picked up. Safety: Every student recording data from the sensors log should have sunglasses and a cap if the experiment is carried out on a sunny day. Data Collection and Processing Day Time Recordings CO2 Sensor 1 Time Recording-Car park Recording-Field 10- 10.30 21 10 10.30-11 609 585 11- 11.30 610 584 11.30-12 610 586 CO2 Sensor 2 Time Recording-Car park Recording-Field 10- 10.30 21 10 10.30-11 609 584 11- 11.30 610 585 11.30-12 610 586 CO2 Sensor 3 Time Recording-Car park Recording-Field 10- 10.30 21 10 10.30-11 608 584 11- 11.30 610 585 11.30-12 611 586 After School Recordings CO2 Sensor 1 Time Recording-Carpark Recording-Field 3-3.30 p.m. 72 597 3.30- 4 p.m. 727 596 4- 4.30 p.m. 723 597 4.30- 5 p.m. 725 598 CO2 Sensor 2 Time Recording-Carpark Recording-Field 3-3.30 p.m. 72 597 3.30- 4 p.m. 727 596 4- 4.30 p.m. 723 597 4.30- 5 p.m. 725 598 CO2 Sensor 3 Time Recording-Carpark Recording-Field 3-3.30 p.m. 72 597 3.30- 4 p.m. 727 596 4- 4.30 p.m. 723 597 4.30- 5 p.m. 725 598 Graph 1: During School day Graph 2: Evening when children are being picked from school. Observations According to the data recordings, the average CO2 level measured in the air during the day time at the carpark (610 ppm) was significantly lower as compared to levels after school (725 ppm). Similarly, the CO2 level in the field at daytime (585 ppm) was lower as compared to after school hours (597 ppm). Generally, there was an increase in CO2 level in both the field and at the carpark, although the increase was significantly more at the carpark. There was an increase of about 115 ppm between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.at the carpark and 12 ppm at the same periods in the field area. Data Processing Overview Due to the definite ppm readings displayed by the CO2 sensor, tables and scatter graph would best represent the data. The data was recorded in a recording book and transferred to the tables and exploration of the data was through descriptive statistics by use of a scatter graph. That will help in exploring relationships between variables of CO2 level and the time of the day. Calculations: To find the average CO2 level in the atmosphere, the average of the recorded data was used minus the uncertainties. CO2 level during the day at the Carpark: CO2 level after school at the Carpark: 609+610+610= 1829 727+723+725= 2175 1829/3= 609.667 2175/3= 725 ppm Approximately: 610 ppm CO2 level during the day at the Field: CO2 level after school at the Field: Sum- 585+584+586= 1755 Sum- 597+596+597+598= 2388 Average- 1755/3= 585 ppm Average- 2388/4= 597 ppm Presentation: Time Average Recording-Carpark Average Recording-Field 10-12 p.m. 610 585 3- 5 p.m. 725 597 Graph: Conclusion and Evaluation Conclusion According to the data collected and presented, it is visibly true that the level of CO2 level was significantly higher after school as compared to the daytime. That translates to an increase in CO2 level in the atmosphere with an increase in emission levels from the cars burning fossil fuels for energy. At the carpark specifically, as the cars drove to the area, the emission was more and consequently caused an increase in the level of CO2 measured by every sensor. As the level increased at the carpark, similarly the CO2 levels increased at the field as well. The levels of CO2 at the field also increased significantly, although to a smaller extent as compared to the carpark. The level of increase of CO2 in the atmosphere was significantly lower than that absorbed by the vegetation in the field meaning the emmision level surpasses the ability of the atmosphere to naturally reduce the CO2 levels (Hill, 2010). Discussion It is practically impossible to prevent CO2 emissions in the environment at large because the activities in highly concentrated areas directly affect other areas within the environs. Human activities including use of motor vehicles alter the carbon cycle in the atmosphere by adding more CO2 and influencing the ability of natural elements to reduce the CO2 levels in the atmosphere (IEA, 2004). As the data in the experiment shows, the field with plants and vegetation helps in significantly reducing the CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Limitations of Experimental Design With three different set of CO2 sensors used, it was possible to record and compare the results from different devices for accuracy. The devices worked well and the environmental condition was calm on the day of the experiment and so the results obtained from the sensor devices showed very little or practically no difference between the figures. The problem was that at certain points in between recording time, the readings fluctuated drastically but after a few minutes displayed the initial results. That was occasioned by short winds that blew especially in the field area. Suggestions for Improvement To improve the experiment further, the use of an automated CO2 sensor able to record the data in definite periods would be more effective. Work Cited HILL, K.M. Understanding Environmental Pollution. Cambridge University Press. Print. 2010 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY. CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion. Simon & Schuster. 2004. From: https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=QK_YFUfFXEsC&pg=PR24&dq=co2+emissions+increase&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TgT-VI73FMPuaOvEgpgE&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=co2%20emissions%20increase&f=false Read More