Student Research Reports

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We conducted basic GLOBE measurements (temperature of air and water, electrical conductivity, pH) on the Kamniška Bistrica River, which flows near our school. When we found that the pH of the water was slightly basic, we expanded our range of measurements by also measuring the total hardness. After the measurements were complete, we started looking for connections between them and explanations for those connections. We found out that the air and water temperatures were related, but changes in water temperature were smaller than changes in air temperature, which can be explained by its higher specific heat compared to air. The water in Kamniška Bistrica River is hard, which means that a lot of mineral substances are dissolved in it. The electrical conductivity of river water is much higher than the electrical conductivity of distilled water, so the concentration of ions that can contribute to electrical conductivity is high, which is probably also a result of the high hardness of the water. Water pH in the river is slightly basic due to the dissolved carbonate rocks (which we found on the bank and alluvium and tested with the acid test) and is connected to the alkalinity of the water - which we plan to explore further.