Eleventh Week Assignments - due on Nov. 16

1. On-line Discussion: Do the readings in the text book and correlate that with the Topic 11 Sources of Water Pollution.

This week we take a look at water from a variety of view points on the pollution side.  What happens to the water after it goes down the drain?  Most people do not want to think about sewage, but it is necessary.  In Elmhurst, there are two sewage treatment plants along the east side of Route 83 and just south of St. Charles Road.  One is for Elmhurst, the other is for Villa Park.

The molecule of the week report will again focus on pollutant molecules in the water water.  The issue question will be dealing with what is known as the “dead zone” off the mouth of the Mississippi River.  Yes, the whole Chicago area is in the watershed of the Mississippi River.

2. Exam # 3 web version is now available online as a web page.
Other versions of the exam are also also available on the exam menu page - versions to put into your word processor for typing and printing.

 The exam answers are found in one form or another in the textbook, sometimes I give reference pages, other times you will have to find the info yourself. The index can be useful. Sometimes the answers will require an application of a concept or principle found in the text. In a few cases if you think more than one answer may be possible, reference your thinking with exact page numbers, I may be persuaded to give you the points in question. For the NY TIMES questions, you should find 90 - 100% of the answers right in the news article.

Students ARE NOT PERMITTED to share information or check answers on exams. Very minor clarifications may be discussed. The honor system applies. I have found some evidence in the past of extremely similar written answers and thought patterns, therefore please be more careful about this.

If you have questions about any exam questions, I will be available for clarifications, and maybe a few hints, so please give me a call.

3. A Look Ahead: The last Lab #6 requires a variety of pieces of plastic which you may need to save for a couple of weeks. In addition it asks you to keep track of how much garbage you throw away. Again this can be done at any time of your convenience, but not at the last minute. At any rate, this requires the weighing of some of your garbage for a couple of weeks. Hopefully you have a bathroom scale to use- just weigh yourself first, then hold the garbage and weigh again. If you do not have a bathroom scale figure some method to estimate the volume instead.

At the same time that you are doing this, begin to collect some different types of plastic to be used in the lab # 6. Try to find one or two examples of each type of recycle number type plastic. They do not all have to have recycle numbers on them. Look for some less obvious things, like lids, pill containers, different small containers used for food products, plastic parts to cold meat wrappings, etc. as these can be treated as true unknowns.

 

FINAL EXAM: Some students have been asking about the Final Exam. This is a combination type exam - Topic 12, 13 (50 points) and 50 points for the final exam - total points = 100 and in the same format that we have been using. One part will be in the form of an essay that asks you to draw together a variety of concepts learned throughout the term...sort of the complete life cycle of a consumer product from raw material to final disposal. This exam is already for you.