Invisible Air Pollution: I Don't Believe My Eyes!
What are the effects of air pollutants?Copyright Nicolò Lazzati www.flickr.com/photos/the-niki/4331676192/in/photolist-7A... Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic | Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/121483302@N02/15489395937
Students develop their understanding of the effects of invisible air pollutants with a rubber band air test, a bean plant experiment and by exploring engineering roles related to air pollution. In an associated literacy activity, students develop visual literacy and write photograph captions. They learn how images are manipulated for a powerful effect and how a photograph can make the invisible (such as pollutants) visible. Note: You may want to set up the activities for Air Pollution unit, Lessons 2 and 3, simultaneously as they require extended data collection time and can share collection sites.
Engineers design methods to measure invisible air pollutants and monitor air quality; they use these tools to measure emissions from vehicles and industry. For example, engineers design the equipment that is used when your car gets an emissions test. The equipment analyzes the substance discharged into the air by the internal combustion engine to determine whether the vehicle emissions include too many dangerous pollutants.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Identify the major types of invisible air pollutants.
- Describe how some invisible air pollutants affect our health.
- Describe how engineers interact with invisible air pollution.