12/6/13 5th/6th
Bellringer: Rare earth in China
Turn in Mineral I.D. Lab
Notes: IMPACTS of FOSSIL FUELS
Rare Earth in China
Rare Earth minerals are VERY economically beneficial and VERY environmentally harmful to get.
Should the USA start mining Rare Earth again or let China to continue to make LOTS of profits while harming their environment?? Explain your reasoning.
What elements do plants and animals consist of?
Nitrogen
Carbon
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Phosphorus
Sulfur
(+ Mercury, discussed later)
What elements do fossil fuels consist of?
Nitrogen
Carbon
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Phosphorus
Sulfur
(Mercury, discussed later)
When fossil fuels are burned, what elements get released?
• Nitrogen
• Carbon
• Hydrogen
• Oxygen
• Phosphorus
• Sulfur
• (+ Mercury, discussed later)
How are pollutants formed when coal is burned?
NCHOPS are released into the air in different chemical forms.
N2 and O2
produce NO2
(nitrogen dioxide)
How are pollutants formed when coal is burned?
C and O2
produce CO2 and CO
(carbon dioxide &
carbon monoxide)
How are pollutants formed when coal is burned?
P and O2
produce P2O5(phosphorus pentoxide)*
*P2O5 IS NOT RELEASED INTO ATMOSPHERE
How are pollutants formed when coal is burned?
S and O2
produce SO2 and SO3
(sulfur dioxide & sulfur trioxide)
Element PollutantELEMENT POLLUTANT
N NO2 NO3
C CO CO2
H H2O
O Most contain oxygen
P P2O5
S SO2 SO3
Hg CH3Hg
Negative Impact #1 Acid Rain
NCHOPS can produce acid rain when they are chemically combined with water in the atmosphere
NO2 reacts with water to form nitric acid (HNO3)
CO2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid (H2CO3)
SO3 reacts with water to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
Negative Impacts #2 Smog
NOx produces smog, which is ground level ozone.
An estimated 140 million Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of smog according to the The American Lung Association.
Negative Impacts #3 Green House Gasses
Coal and other energy uses are the single largest source of GHGs in the U.S. and the world
Negative Impacts #4 Particulates
• Pollution in solid form can be inhaled which leads to health problem
• Asthma, cancer and death
• People who live near coal plants are at much greater risk
Negative Impacts #5Mercury
Mercury accumulates in the atmosphere and falls to the earth during precipitation
Mercury is a “heavy-metal” and it Bio-Accumulates up the food chain
Adverse risks to pregnancy and child development
Mercury in Lakes Besides answering the question, tell me what paragraph you found the answers
You may have used more than one paragraph for an answer
Biomagnification
1) Explain what happens to biomass (energy) as you move up trophic levels
2) Explain what happens to persistent pollutants (like Mercury) as you move up trophic levels
Biological magnification
pollutants become more concentrated in organisms higher in the food chain
Biomass decreases Pollutants increase
12/9/13 5th/6th
Bellringer: Dihydrogen Monoxide
Finish: Impacts of Fossil Fuels Notes
Read: Loons in Wisconsin
DiHydrogen Monoxide
1) Should DHMO be banned? Explain why or why not?
2) ***ANSWER AFTER OUR DISCUSSION***
Explain how this article uses Sensationalism (the use of exciting/shocking language at the expense of accuracy) to lead to an uneducated decision by the reader.
Mercury in Fish1) Based on the amounts of Mercury in
each fish, name 2 fishes that are top predators and 2 fishes that are low on the food chain.
2) Which is the safest combination (lowest mercury) to buy at the grocery store?a) Marlin, Bluefish and Halibut
b) Catfish, Cod and Bigeye Tuna
Global, Regional, or Local?
1. Acid Rain
2. Smog
3. Greenhouse Gasses
4. Particulates
5. Mercury/Bioaccumulation
1. Regional
2. Local
3. Global
4. Local
5. Regional
Tradeoffs
Which is Better?
Cheaper electricity with higher emissions
Expensive electricity with lower emissions
Long-Term vs. Short Term
Can the average American make the investment to more expensive, ecofriendly energy?
Pros of Coal Power
• Cheap• Cheaper per unit energy than oil or natural gas• Will continue to be an important global resource
• Abundant• Coal is the world’s most abundant fossil fuel• Sufficient reserves for the next 250 years
Pros of Coal PowerUSAGE
• Supplying approximately 50% of electricity to the USA
Economy
• Coal-mining stimulates over one million jobs in the
• U.S.Coal contributes over $80 billion annually to the economy
Cons of Coal Power
• GHGs
• Pollutants
(Smog, Acid Rain, Particulates, Mercury)
• NON-RENEWABLE (will run out)
• Long term problems will be EXPENSIVE
Future of Coal Clean coal technology
• New type of coal-burning power plants with technology to reduce pollution emissions
How to rely less on Coal1) Energy Conservation… (use less energy).
• Heating/Cooling our houses• Unplugging Appliances• Less dependence on cars.
2) Technology… (use smarter energy)• Switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy• This can be done on the national/global level
or on the individual level
Next Up…Investigating the Impacts of Coal
Mercury
Acid Rain
Greenhouse Gasses and Climate Change
Energy Conservation
Making the Switch to Green Energy
Text Coding
________ = Topic Sentence/Main Idea
✔ = Already know this
K = Important
? = Confusing/Question
! = Wow
( circle ) = Unknown Word
Mercury Journey
Diagram or describe the journey of one molecule of mercury from inside a piece of coal…
into the atmosphere…
into a body of water…
up the food chain…
and into the fat cells of a human
Mercury in Fish1) Based on the amounts of Mercury in each
fish, name 3 top predators and 3 that are low on the food chain.
2) Which is the safest combination to buy at the grocery store?a) Marlin, Bluefish and Halibut
b) Catfish, Cod and Bigeye Tuna
c) Grouper, Albacore Tuna and Bass
Acid Rain Lab
Take care of equipment
Be able to “stop on a dime” and listen to directions
Start together, then work at your own speed
EVERYONE helps clean up with 5 minutes left.
Making Acid Rain
Why did the pH of the water decrease when we blew CO2 into the water?
…EXPLAIN IN DETAIL
…including the chemical equation involved!
12/13/13
Bellringer: Smog in China VIDEO
pH Buffer Graph
Finish Acid Rain Lab
NEXT WEEK: Climate Change Children’s Book & Energy Exam (Thursday)
Smog in ChinaIs smog simply the “cost” of development? Explain. (America had its most severe environmental issues during the Industrial Revolution)
Bonus: Besides cold-weather (more coal being burned to heat homes) why does DECEMBER result in the highest levels of smog in CHINA?????
Negative Effects of NCHOPS
Look at your notes (or a neighbor’s notes) from before break.
Write down the 5 Negative Impacts of Burning Coal and releasing NCHOPS into the air.
Negative Impacts #5Mercury
One of the most dangerous toxins released into the air when coal is burned
Released mercury accumulated into the atmosphere and falls to the earth during precipitation
Mercury is a “heavy-metal” and it Bio-Accumulates up the food chain