OVERVIEW

In this experiment, you will examine four of these measurements: water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, and total dissolved solids. The measurements collected during this activity will be used to calculate water quality using a system devised by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). This system is called the Water Quality Index (WQI). This system will allow you to determine the quality of water and make comparisons between the lake or stream you are sampling and other watersheds or waterways.

In this experiment, you will

• use a pH probe to measure the pH of a water sample.
• use a conductivity probe to measure total dissolved solids, TDS.
• use a dissolved oxygen probe to determine the concentration of dissolved oxygen.
• use a temperature probe to measure the water temperature.
• calculate the water quality based on your findings.

LAB GUIDE

To download a printable copy of the lab guide, right click on the lab title below.  Then select save target as.  If you do not have Microsoft Word 97 or later, you will need to download Microsoft Word Viewer (it is free!).

Lab12-WatershedTesting.doc (84K)