Ozone in the Edron?

Ozone (O3) is a gas that can be both a friend and a foe. High in the atmosphere, it traps UV light, protecting humans from cancer-causing radiation. At ground le el, ho!e er, it causes breathing difficulties, including asthma. Is there ozone in school? Where is there most ozone? Plan an e"periment to in estigate these #uestions, predict !here in the school !ill ha e most ozone (gi e reasons$), then use the method belo! to ma%e ozone test paper to carr& out &our in estigation. Materials 'ilter paper *ornflour Method +easure -.. ml of !ater, and place it in the /0.ml bea%er. Add 0 grams (g) of cornstarch to the !ater. Heat and stir the mi"ture until it gels. 1he mi"ture !ill become thic% and fairl& see-through. 2emo e the bea%er from the hot plate. Add - g of potassium iodide, and stir !ell. *ool the solution. 3a& a piece of filter paper on the lab table. *arefull&, brush the paste onto the filter paper. 1urn the paper o er, and appl& the paste to the other side. 1r& to get the paste e enl& spread on the filter paper. Allo! the paper to dr&. 4o not place in direct sunlight. 'or #uic%er dr&ing, place the paper in a micro!a e o en for 3. to 5. seconds or use a hair drier. *ut the filter paper into /cm strips. 1he& are no! read& to detect ozone. 6f &ou are not going to use them straight a!a&, place them in a sealed plastic bag. 7ash &our hands thoroughl&, ma%ing sure to scrub under &our nails to remo e all potassium iodide. (otassium iodide +easuring c&linder )ea%er ,tring Hair dr&er Hot plate

Testing For Ozone *hoose a site to test for ozone. 1his test site should be a place that is out of direct sunlight. 6t should also be in an area !here it !ill not be disturbed b& people. Also, thin% about the causes of 8bad9 ozone, and place &our detector !here &ou thin% ozone le els ma& be high.

(o%e a small hole in one end of one of &our test strips. *arefull& tie one end of the string to the test strip. 1his !ill be used to hang the strip in the test area.

4ip the test strip in distilled !ater. Hang the strip at the test site. +a%e sure the strip hangs freel&, !ithout bumping into an&thing.

3ea e the detector in place for : hours.

After : hours, retrie e the detector strip. *arefull&, dip it in distilled !ater. ;ou should see a color change.

On the computer, log onto the 6nternet and go to the follo!ing 7eb site. http<==teachertech.rice.edu=(articipants=lee=colorscale.html *ompare &our detector strip to the colors on the color scale. 4etermine the ,choenbein number for &our detector strip. >O1?< High le els of relati e humidit& ma%e the filter paper more sensiti e to ozone. 6f the humidit& le el in &our area !as high !hen &ou conducted this test, the ozone le els ma& appear higher than the& actuall& are.

Once &ou ha e completed this e"periment, ans!er the follo!ing #uestions. -. *ompare &our ozone detector !ith the other ozone detectors in &our class. 4id all of them come up !ith the same results@ ?"plain !h& this ma& ha e happened. /. )ased on &our classAs results, do &ou thin% this is a good !a& to measure ground-le el ozone le els@ 7h& or !h& not@ 3. Bo to the follo!ing 7eb site< http<==!!!.epa.go =airno!= *ompare &our results to the ?n ironmental (rotection Agenc&As readings for ozone le els in &our area. Are the& the same@ 6f not, e"plain !h& &ou thin% the& are different.