Introduction:  As a true scientist, students will collect air quality data.  Their task is to graph and analyze their collected data in order to discover trends and relationships that may exist between the various air constituents.  These graphs will assist the students in formulating some generalizations about "Bad Ozone".

Objectives:

1. Students will obtain real scientific data using today's technology.
2. Students will follow written directions.
3. Students will record scientific data in a useable concise manner.
4. Students will graph data.
5. Students will analyze graphs by applying best fit lines and looking at trends.
6. Students will formulate an algebraic equation to explain their graph.
7. Students will predict unknowns using their graphs.
8. Student will compare predictions to an alternative source of real time air quality data.
9. Students will explain types of error.

This is an exercise which allows students to apply basic math techniques to real time air quality data.  By doing so, students may discover many relationships that occur between various environmental air quality variables.  "Bad Ozone" is a result of many different variables.  Most of these variable are explored in this project.  However, the one constituent which is not explored is Volatile Organic Carbons.  These are organic molecules that are a direct result of the breakdown of hydrocarbons (fossil fuels).  Unfortunately,  due to the lack of available on-line data for VOC's these were not included in collected data.  However, they are mentioned in the Student Resource Extension for Real Time Data Project #2.

Since this project incorporates real time data, teachers should be aware of the difficulties in using such data.  It is suggested that immediately before the lesson, the teacher checks and reviews all the internet links that are needed to complete the project.  At times, due to uploading of data or server problems, you may experience problems accessing the data.

Materials:

1. Internet Access
2. Table or Means of Collecting Data
3. Graphing Program such as Excel Spreadsheet or simple graph paper.

1. Newark, New Jersey - Real Time Air Quality
2. Current Temperature in Newark, NJ
3. Houston Air Quality Monitoring Stations - Real Time Air Quality
• State Real-Time Air Pollution Data * Note - Air pollutants have different units of measurement for the different states

• Lead the students in an open discussion of their knowledge of ground ozone, air quality variables, etc.
• The students should have prior experience in making graphs or graphing on a spreadsheet.
• The teacher will act as facilitator as each group will follow the lesson, record their data, make the graphs, and answer the questions for each Step #.  There may not necessarily be any right or wrong answers for some of these questions.  The idea is to get them to think about the variables causing ozone conditions in different areas.
• Each group will draw conclusions about their graphs and data and give a final conclusion to the class as to their findings.

• The students understanding the following:
• Ozone and Nitrogen Dioxide are two of the air pollutants that contribute to our air quality.
• Temperature and Time of day are important variables in the production of the bad lower ozone. Solar radiation is needed for the chemical reaction to occur to cause "bad" ozone in the lower atmosphere.
• PSI are standard units that determine if our air quality is stated as "good" or "unhealthy".
• The different air pollutants are given in different units for different sites such as PSI, ppb, ppm, etc.
• Wind speed and direction play an important part in the final destination of the air pollutants.  Many times air pollutants end up in an entire different area than where the source of the pollution is.

• National Institute of Water & Atmosphere (NIWA)
• Graphing tutorial
• Reference Page
• US EPA
• Air Quality Plans & Data
• Hands On Activity - Smog