Mercury in the Environment

Add to list Go to activity
In this environmental science lesson, learners will examine the dangers of mercury and how humans contribute to growing mercury emissions on Earth. First, learners watch a NewsHour video segment about EPA regulations on the emissions of mercury by coal-fire power plants and then read an article about mercury pollution of aquatic ecosystems. Next, learners use beads to simulate "coal atoms" and calculate the percent-by-mass of contaminating elements in coal. Finally, learners view an analogous demonstration of how mercury is detected in a lab sample. [Activity is publicly available through a web crawler capture on Archive.org.]

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Learning Time:
1 to 2 hours
Estimated Materials Cost:
$5 - $10 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 14 - 18
Resource Types:
Activity, Demonstration, Lesson/Lesson Plan, Simulation
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Earth and Space Science
    • Earth Structure
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Atmosphere
    • Earth's History
  • Life Sciences
    • Diversity of Life
      • Animals
    • Ecology
      • Ecosystems
      • Human Impact
    • Human Body
      • Health and Nutrition
  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Environmental Engineering
    • Technology
  • Physical Sciences
    • Chemistry
    • Structure and Properties of Matter
      • Atomic Structure
      • Elements and Periodic Table
      • Mass and Weight
  • Mathematics
    • Data Analysis and Probability
      • Data Analysis
      • Data Collection
    • Number and Operations
    • Reasoning and Proof
    • Representation
  • The Nature of Technology
    • Technology and Society
      • Technology and the Environment
  • The Nature of Science
    • Science and Society
      • Risks and Benefits
      • Public Policy
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Gathering Data
      • Formulating Explanations
      • Communicating Results

Informal Categories

  • Animals
  • Nature and Environment

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • see color
  • read
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Uses STEM to solve real-world problems
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • McGraw, Jason

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, MacNeil-Lehrer Productions, 2011