CLASH OF THE SEA

Sea Water vs. Fresh Water

Which will feel the freeze first?

Don Nenninger

CLASS UNIT GOAL:

THE INVESTIGATION AND STUDY OF THE DIFFERENCE IN FREEZING TIMES OF SEA AND FRESH

WATER AS PART OF A LARGER

UNIT IN METEOROLOGY.

GOALS OF THIS LAB 1. Investigate the differences in the rate of freezing between

salt and fresh water and apply that to our unit in meteorology.

Lab Overview

Objectives In this experiment, you will Observe the freezing of

fresh water and ocean water.

Use a Temperature Probe to measure temperature.

Determine the freezing temperature of fresh and ocean water.

(Vernier)

1. Safety

2. Procedures

3. Observations

4. Data

5. Technology integration

6. Core Curriculum integration

7. Literacy integration

8. Inquiry methods

9. Ecology impact

LAB SETUP AND PROGRESS

Introduction During winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Arctic air

temperatures often dip below what we normally think of as the freezing point of water. Yet, while freshwater lakes freeze over, much of the ocean stays in liquid form rather than freezing into ice. Why doesn’t ocean water freeze at the same temperature as fresh water?

In this experiment, you will use a Temperature Probe to measure the temperature of water as it cools and then freezes. In Part I, you will collect temperature data as you freeze fresh water and determine its freezing temperature. In Part II you do the same for ocean water. You will then compare the two freezing temperatures and hypothesize why they are different. (Vernier)

NY STATE CORE CURRICULUM C.1.M1.1.b.6Grades: 9-12

Science identify relationships within variables from data tables C.1.S3.1.aGrades: 9-12

Science organize observations in a data table, analyze the data for trends or patterns, and

interpret the trends or patterns, using scientific concepts C.7.2.1.bGrades: 9-12

Science gather and process information L.1.2.4Grades: 9-12

Science Carry out a research plan for testing explanations, including selecting and

developing techniques, acquiring and building apparatus, and recording observations as necessary.

4.C.3.1.xxivGrades: 9-12Science

describe the processes and uses of filtration, distillation, and chromatography in the separation of a mixture

4.L.14Grades: 9-12Science

Organizes data through the use of data tables and graphs 4.L.5Grades: 9-12

Science Makes observations of biological processes (Vernier)

LAB EQUIPMENT-SPREADSHEET-RESOURCES

LAB EQUIPMENT-SPREADSHEET & RESOURCES

Here’s a link to a similar lab sponsored by NASAhttp://aquarius.nasa.gov/pdfs/prop_fresh_sea.pdf

SEA WATER VS. FRESH WATER COMPARED

Sea Water Fresh Water

Average Temperature Reading 1 _____ _____Reading 2 _____ _____Reading 3 _____ _____Reading 4 _____ _____Reading 5 _____ _____

Student Analysis

https://www.google.com/search?q=question+mark&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#1. Inquiry

2. Investigate3. Research 4. Explore5. Study

Unit Integration1. Change of state

2. Salinity of the oceans

3. Saturation and super saturation

4. Climatology

5. Effect on the planet

LINK TO YOUTUBE http://youtu.be/jatOw68Lrb4Note: Unfortunately for MAC users of PowerPoint you

can’t currently embed the code into the presentation and the raw file is too large to include here.

The “Video from Web Site…” feature is not currently available in Office for Mac 2011. Mac MVP Jim Gordon recommends the following solution: “Copy the URL from the information to the right of the video. Paste that into a web site that can download the file. I know of two sites that do this for free: http://www.mediaconverter.org/ http://www.mediaconvert.com/

References:Lab Experiment provided by Vernier Corporation:http://www.vernier.com/experiments/esv/17/freezing_of_ocean_water/#standards (overall and slides, 5 and 6)