On the Move: Pollution Transport & Weather
Pollutants transport via the water cycle.Copyright Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Weather/Selected_article/7
Looking at models and maps, students explore different pathways and consequences of pollutant transport via the weather and water cycles. In an associated literacy activity, students develop skills of observation, recording and reporting as they follow the weather forecast and produce their own weather report for the class.
Air, water and soil pollution do not stay in one place, so understanding the weather and water cycles helps environmental engineers explore the human impact from pollutant transport. Many engineers are employed solely to research, design and implement procedures that minimize pollution. They help to clean up acid rain, ozone holes, ground water contamination, emissions, and global warming, by modifications in design, manufacturing, regulations and practices that clean up many problems and make our living environment safer.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Understand and explain how a simple water cycle model can be used to model pollution transport.
- Understand and explain how the weather and water cycles are related to air pollution.
- Understand some different ways that engineers use and interact with the weather and water cycles.
- Discuss the local and global issues of pollution moving through the weather and water cycles.