{"id":44,"date":"2016-01-28T09:49:08","date_gmt":"2016-01-28T14:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/commons.trincoll.edu\/jgourley\/?page_id=44"},"modified":"2016-02-03T09:21:13","modified_gmt":"2016-02-03T14:21:13","slug":"lab-2-vehicle-diversity-on-campus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/commons.trincoll.edu\/jgourley\/courses\/envs-149l\/lab-2-vehicle-diversity-on-campus\/","title":{"rendered":"Lab 2 – Vehicle Diversity on Campus"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In this lab we will examine how scientists make simple hypotheses to gain new knowledge.\u00a0 You will be asked to find out information about campus vehicle diversity by comparing two populations of vehicles.\u00a0 In our case, the populations will be defined by campus parking lots.\u00a0 In the environment population are defined as groups of individual organisms that inhabit a particular region.\u00a0 The region could be defined as the entire globe or a specific ecosystem.\u00a0 After we collect physical data on our populations from the field and emissions data on the web, you will use some simple statistics to help validate or reject your hypotheses.\u00a0 IF YOU ARE USING AN APPLE COMPUTER make sure you have the statistical tools add-in already loaded BEFORE coming to lab. \u00a0Most likely you already installed the stat package last week.<\/p>\n

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Please read the lab handout to become familar with what we will be doing for this lab.\u00a0\u00a0CLICK HERE<\/a> for the lab handout.<\/p>\n

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a) Hypothesis driven science<\/h3>\n

Please read section in your textbook about hypothesis driven science for further information.<\/p>\n

Scientists seek to gain new knowledge about the world and universe in which we live.\u00a0 They do this by constantly asking questions about something they are interested in and then obtain information through observation and experiments to attempt to answer these question.\u00a0 A hypothesis is a carefully constructed statement that then can be tested.\u00a0 A null hypothesis is a specific way to phrase a hypothesis statement that compares two populations and is often simple to prove or reject with statistics.<\/p>\n

An example<\/u>:\u00a0 I am hiking along the Park River in Hartford and I come across a section of river that contains a pipe that empties into the river directly from a local manufacturing business.\u00a0 This is what is known as a point source discharge<\/a>. I am curious about the water quality above and below the pipe.\u00a0 A very general hypothesis that I could state could be:\u00a0 The point source discharge is significantly affecting the water quality of the Park River<\/i>. Well, that statement could take months ore even years to prove or reject and may be imbedded with multiple complex scenarios.\u00a0 This hypothesis may be our ultimate goal but we can break it down into more manageable smaller hypotheses that we will state in a specific way. –<\/p>\n

Let’s start by saying – THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between the pH<\/a> value of the river water above the pipe and below the pipe.<\/p>\n

The above hypothesis is a null hypothesis<\/b> because it assumes no difference between two things.\u00a0 Often scientists looks for differences in nature so this is usually an easy hypothesis to reject.\u00a0 If we are able to reject a hypothesis then we have gained some new knowledge.\u00a0 In our example above we can take simple pH measurements in the field above and below the pipe, perhaps over the course of a semester.\u00a0 The two sets of data (pH values above the pipe and the pH values below the pipe) can be analyzed statistically to determine if they differ (more on these statistics below).\u00a0 If they do differ statistically, then we can reject our null hypothesis and chalk up one piece of evidence for our larger scope hypothesis that states the point source discharge is affecting the water quality of the Park River.\u00a0 We would then perform additional experiments that would help answer our ultimate question.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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b) Vehicle Data Collection – Physical characteristics and Emissions<\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n

You will be asked to state testable null hypotheses to examine two populations (parking lots) of vehicles on campus.\u00a0 One hypothesis will be a physical difference.\u00a0 In each lot you will collect data on type, make, model and color. Type of vehicle includes: sedan, pick-up, SUV, etc. Make would be the manufacturer – Ford, Acura, Toyota.\u00a0 Model refers to specific cars – Mustang, Integra, 4-Runner.\u00a0 An example of a simple null hypothesis about a physical difference would be: \u00a0There is no difference between the number of red SUVs in the Ferris lot and the Life Science Lot<\/i>.\u00a0 We can count up the number of red SUVs in each lot and then see if our null hypothesis is correct or not.<\/p>\n

Next, browse the website listed below.\u00a0 You will refer back to this site after you have collected your vehicle data.<\/p>\n

Fueleconomy.gov\u00a0 http:\/\/www.fueleconomy.gov\/<\/a><\/p>\n

After you browse this site it will be easier to formulate null hypotheses that focus on vehicle emissions.\u00a0 You will be asked to choose two parking lots on campus to compare.\u00a0 Make note that there are some lots that are designated for faculty and some that are designated for students.\u00a0 These designations could make for some interesting comparisons.\u00a0 Due to construction projects, some lots may not currently have cars on them. Click here<\/a> for the current campus map.<\/p>\n

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c) Basic statistics – comparing two populations using a t-test<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Once you have collected vehicle data you can perform some simple statistical tests to determine if your values from the two populations are\u00a0 significantly different from one another.\u00a0 The t-test can be run in Microsoft Excel to obtain these results.\u00a0 I have found a website from Jim Deacon ant the University of Edinburgh that explains the basics of statistics with some examples using methods by hand and Microsoft Excel.\u00a0 click here<\/a>.\u00a0 We will go over the t-test in lab but make sure you are familiar with basic descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation and variance.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this lab we will examine how scientists make simple hypotheses to gain new knowledge.\u00a0 You will be asked to find out information about campus vehicle diversity by comparing two populations of vehicles.\u00a0 In our case, the populations will be defined by campus parking lots.\u00a0 In the environment population are defined as groups of individual organisms that inhabit a particular region.\u00a0 The region could be defined as the entire globe or a specific ecosystem.\u00a0 After we collect physical data on our populations from the field and emissions data on the web, you will use some simple statistics to help validate or reject your hypotheses.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Pre-lab assignment<\/h2>\n

Email these questions before the start of lab. \u00a0NO ATTACHMENTS. \u00a0All answers should be in the body text of the eamil.
\nMAKE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME<\/span> ON THE TOP OF YOUR EMAILED ANSWERS.<\/p>\n

Question 1 (4 points):<\/b><\/p>\n

State TWO well crafted and specific null hypotheses that compare vehicles of two different parking lots on campus.\u00a0 One hypothesis should be about a physical characteristic, the other about vehicle emissions.\u00a0 Note that there are different lots for students and faculty which may be interesting.\u00a0 Refer to the lab handout (download from vehicle diversity lab web page<\/a>) for the different parking lots on campus.<\/p>\n

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Question 2 (2 points):<\/strong><\/h4>\n

What is the city miles\/gallon fuel efficiency for a 2007 Cadillac Escalade vs. a 2007 Toyota Prius? You will need to refer to the web pages discussed in the lab handout and the web page for this lab.<\/p>\n

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Question 3 (2 points):<\/strong><\/h4>\n

What specific air pollution constituents are created by the burning of fossil fuels in automobiles? (list at least 3)<\/p>\n

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Question 4 (2 points):<\/strong><\/h4>\n

If there are 15 Toyota cars in a lot of 86 vehicles what is the proportion of Toyotas to the entire lot?\u00a0 Answer must be in decimal form (report number to 3 decimal places).<\/p>\n

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