ESCI C.S4.O2.A4 Water Quality

For this assignment, you are going to use a program called the RiverWeb Simulator. This program simulates a river as it runs from the tops of the mountains and past a number of areas affected by humans. Due to human impact, the river changes and picks up pollution as it passes by these different locations. You will look at how the water quality changes over the course of the river and at different variables that affect the river.

RiverWeb Simulator Links to an external site.

Indicators are variables that allow us to measure the quality of the water. Before starting the assignment you need to read the indicators page so you can pick variables that are related to one another and make sense.

Your Assignment:

Part 1: On the simulator you will see two displays. For this part you need to set up the first display at station 0 and the second at station 7. The variable indicator should be the same for both. 

Copy the following questions and your graphs in the text box or attach a file with the assignment on it in the file uploads tab.

1. Variable Indicator:

2. Explain how this indicator changes concentration over the course of the river and how it affects the ecosystem:

3. Run the simulator with the indicator at station 0 and station 7. Copy the graphs into your submission by right clicking and choosing “copy URL”. In your doc go to “insert” and “image” and paste the URL.

4. Data Analysis - Compare the two graphs. What changes have occurred to the amount of the indicator over the course of the river from station 0 to station 7? How can you explain these changes?

Part 2: For this part you will set up the simulator opposite form part 1. You will pick the same location on both displays (you should NOT pick location 0 or 5). Then you will change the indicators to two different selections. Again, these should be choices that make sense based on your reading of the indicators page. By doing this you can see if there is a relationship between the indicators. To identify a relationship you need to select "Draw Scatter Plot" at the top of the page after clicking "Change Display". The scatter plot will show a correlation if you can see any kind of diagonal trend. Pick varaibles that give you a correlation.

Variables:

Question:

Hypothesis (claim):

Graph - include the scatter plot graph that compares both data sets against each other:

Interpretation and meaning of data - Describe what correlations, if any, exist between the variables:

Conclusion - Is your hypothesis correct or incorrect? Why or why not? What is your evidence (warrant)?