Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature 16A

This lab was concerned with finding the dissolved oxygen and temperature of different water samples from different places (or similar samples but different temperatures). I worked with this Lab with the lovely Krystaal. Below is the table of our data, and two tables reflecting the data. Temperature is in Celsius.

 

1.  Firstly, it is important to note that there may be significant human error which may have altered our results (the dissolved oxygen meter was finicky and we may not have set it up right). That being said: For our experiment we used tap water instead of spring water. This could be the reason our results are curvilinear. However, it is important to note that the hotter the water, the faster the water molecules are moving thus allowing for more oxygen to diffuse through the water.

2. If oxygen is dissolved in cold water which is then warmed the oxygen expands. I've observed this phenomenon on the Magic School Bus "Molecule" episode and when boiling water.

3. We collected samples from all over Sarasota, from the outside showers at South Lido to toilet bowl water at New College. However, of all the samples shown on our field samples curve (which does not compare with our other samples curve). This may have been because some samples were salt water which may allow for more or less oxygen. The only samples that seemed to have oxygen satutration were Sarasota Bay (collected from our own bay front) and Krystaal's toilet bowl water (which she is a champ for collecting).

4. The relationship between temperature and dissolved oxygen is important to the symbiotic algae with in the bodies of coral polyps on tropical reefs. The warm water that tropical reefs live in has lots of dissolved oxygen which encourage algae growth. The more dissolved oxygen the better for coral polyps which in turn provide algae with carbon dioxide (symbiotic relationship). The algae processes the carbon dioxide in the water which then increases the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water.

5. Climate change can be devastating to the tropical reefs of the world, by raising the temperature of the water the amount of dissolved oxygen would also increase. It is important to know that tropical reefs, though stunning and some ancient, are very fragile. Even a slight change in temperature, for example the entire world's temperature increases by one or two degrees, can greatly effect corals (and everything else on the planet as well). Everything is interconnected, a raise in temperature means the continued melting of the polar ice caps which could mean deeper water, which could effect how much sunlight tropical reefs get (especially those that are already existing as deep as possible).

Photo courtesy of: Andy Serrano