Scientific Method Project

River Chemicals

A few days ago we went down to the Pewaukee River for mine and Kyle Turba’s science project. Mr. Roehl, our teacher, walked us down to the river and gave us Chemical Testing Kits that included all of the supplies we would need to conduct the experiment. When we were down there we tested the water for chemicals that can kill plants and fish. We all had different spots to test the water in the river so we could have results for more than just one spot. Most of us found that the same chemicals were in the river and those were all bad chemicals. I think that people should do all that they can do to prevent chemicals from getting into the river.

There were a total of five kids that tested the water in different places and got a little bit different results. We tested for 11 chemicals. Quinn had the most chemicals in the standing water. After he finished testing them, he came up with 8 of the 11 chemicals were in his spot. He had pH level 10, Chlorine, Chromium, Copper, Cyanide, Iron, Nitrate Nitrogen, and Sulfide all in his spot. In second with the most chemicals were Zoe and Kendall that tested in the bog. They only had a total of 5 out of 11 chemicals in the bog. Their chemicals were; Ammonia Nitrogen, pH level 8, Nitrate Nitrogen, Silica, and Sulfide. In third for the most chemicals was me. I had 4 out of the 11 chemicals. I was testing for the 11 chemicals where the water comes out of the dam. My chemicals were; Ammonia Nitrogen, Nitrate Nitrogen, Silica, and pH level 9. Last but not least, Kyle had 3 out of the 11 chemicals in the pond. His chemicals were; Ammonia Nitrogen, Iron, and pH level 8. It was important that we all tested in different places because there was a big difference between the amount of chemicals in the standing water and the pond.

When Kyle first asked me if I wanted to test chemicals in the river I just said sure because I didn’t care what we did our project on. As the days went on, I got more eager to go because I wanted to test the chemicals in the river since I never did it until October 17. Finally the day came and I was all excited. We walked down to the river and tested the chemicals. Then we walked back up to school. It was a cold day but I think it was worth going because I had fun and we earned scientific method credit.