The Conservation of Energy Energy Conservation in Desalinization

Research question Research Question: How efficient is the desalination of ocean water (salt water with unicellular organisms) to drinking water (fresh water without unicellular organisms) in industrial and environmental sectors? Hypothesis: If you remove the salt from the salt water then the change in the balance of salinity between the fresh water and salt water will negatively effect the energy systems of the surrounding ecosystems, and the energy transfer in the desalination process will not be limited to the process in its effects. In essence, we believe that energy will be conserved in the desalination process, but energy in the larger system of the biosphere that the process is within will be effected negatively.

Overview of Process and Goals We will be simulating the desalination process to measure the energy inserted into the system, and through the process’ efficiency how much energy is conserved. We will also be researching the effects of desalination of the environment in the hopes of determining how and to what extent energy is conserved both in the process and in the larger context of the environment.  Physicists will be determining the energy input  Chemists will be determining the efficiency of the process for comparative analyzing  Biologists will be researching and determining the effect of desalination on the environment to place the conservation of energy of the desalination process in a broader context

Biology Materials:  Computer with Internet access Process:  Researching the important environmental effects desalination could have on the environment, such as increases or decreases in nearby ocean salinity. Contributions: This research will help us determine the effects desalination could have on the energy of the ecosystem by evaluating the effects it might have on nearby life.

Chemistry Materials:  Distilling Apparatus  Beakers  300 mL Distilled Water  10.5 g NaCl Salt  Hot Plate  Bunsen Burner  Rubber Gloves  Stirring Stick  Mortar and Pestle Process: 1.Gathered materials mentioned to the left 2.Measured out 10.5 grams of Kosher Salt 3.Using the mortar and pestle the salt crystals were crushed 4.The Salt was dissolved in the 300 Ml of distilled water, using the Hot Plate 5.The water was left to sit overnight 6.Using the Distillation Apparatus, we boiled the water into water vapor collecting the water droplets, leaving the salt behind Contributions: This experiment will measure the efficiency of the process, which will in turn tell us to what extent energy has been conserved.

Physics Materials:  Reference materials of the hot plate/Bunsen burner  Distilling Apparatus  Hot plate  Bunsen burner  Calculator  Stopwatch  Temperature Gun  300mL distilled water/10.5g NaCl salt solution  300mL distilled water Process: 1. We will first find out how long it takes for distilled water to boil as a comparative constant 2. During this time we will measure temperature at 10 sec intervals for seconds 3. We will then replicate the process with the same saltwater solution as the chemists, again for 10 second intervals for seconds 4. We will use these recording to determine change in energy, and from there calculate how much energy in total entered the desalination process Contribution: These calculations will give us an idea of the amounts of energy being lost, as well as a better grasp on the process’ efficiency.

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Physics & Chemistry Summary Time (minutes)Temperature (Celsius) : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

Biology Summary The conservation of energy in desalination is a complex process, and most use reverse osmosis to desalinate on a large scale. Reverse osmosis is where salt water and fresh water are put into a container and then separated by a semi-permeable barrier. Force (energy) is then applied to the salt water side allowing the water to move through the barrier while the salt is left behind. The energy of the specific process is not isolated, but a part of a larger scale; its indirect effects on the environment effects on the environment are positive allowing more freshwater for organisms to use. Since there is such a high, quantity of salt water in the world, there is little to no negative effects on the saltwater ecosystem.

Physics Implications The measurements of energy transfer provides a standpoint from which to analyze the efficiency of the desalinating process, and supports that energy has been conserved, as expected, with a margin left for loss to environment.

Chemistry Implications The desalinating process exemplifies the conservation of energy through its efficiency; the more efficiently the solution is split, the less energy has been lost to the environment (heating the glass, air, etc.). Equally, the less efficiently the solution is split, the more energy has been lost to the environment. Therefore, the more efficient that our experiment is, the more energy has been conserved within the process.

Biology Implications Although evaluating the conservation of energy within a system is useful, the effects of desalination have a larger radius than its own processes. The efficiency of energy transfer within the process effects the water produced or not produced, and therefore potentially affecting the transfer of energy in the biosphere. While the flow of energy within the biosphere is conserved, this effect cannot be ignored, especially when considering a smaller region where a lack or abundance of freshwater is potentially hazardous to its balance.

Conclusion We have concluded that energy is conserved throughout the desalinating process as expected in our hypothesis; however, we also found that energy in the biosphere will not be effected negatively. In contrast, it will be effected positively, as the process will not effect salt water ecosystems immensely, and an abundance of freshwater will help retain the balance of the ecosystems in need of it (cities, farms, etc.)

Works Cited Kersher, Kale J. “HowStuffWorks-Learn How Everything Works!” HowStuffWorks. Kale Kersher, Web. 26 May 2015 Pearl, Howard K. “Saline Water: Desalination.” N.p., Web