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How Temperature and Wind Affect River pH: A Study on Water Chemistry
Organization(s):Ottawa Hills Jr/Sr High School
Country:United States of America
Student(s):Yale Feniger & Graham Hill
Grade Level:Secondary School (grades 9-12, ages 14-18)
Educator(s):Gloria Kreischer Gajewicz
Contributors:
Report Type(s):International Virtual Science Symposium Report, Mission Earth Report
Protocols:Air Temperature, Precipitation, Wind, pH, Water Temperature
Presentation Poster:
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Language(s):English
Date Submitted:03/05/2025
This project looks at how water temperature and wind speed affect the pH levels of a river. We think that as the water gets colder, the pH will go up because colder water can hold more carbon dioxide, which makes the water more acidic. We also think that higher wind speeds might lower the pH by mixing more gases into the water. We measured water temperature, pH, outdoor temperature, wind speed, and precipitation on different days. Our results showed that when the water was colder, the pH went up, which matches the idea that colder water holds more carbon dioxide. However, wind speed didn’t seem to change the pH very much. This means that water temperature has a bigger effect on pH than wind speed, and it helps us understand how weather changes could affect rivers.