“How can we determine the conditions and composition of the soil beneath our feet?”
Construction projects are usually built over soil. The soil’s properties have a sizable impact on the project’s design. To understand the soil conditions and composition, people can drill a hole into the ground, extract a soil sample, and then analyze the results. These Soil Boring Tests are an essential part of construction activities, helping people understand a multitude of important information, ranging from stormwater infiltration rates to support stability.
“What’s special about water with high mineral ion content?”
Water will change depending on what it’s exposed to. When water percolates through limestone, chalk, or gypsum deposits, it might pick up ions such as calcium and magnesium. When this Hard Water comes into contact with soap, the fatty acids can react with the minerals to create a chalky precipitate that sticks to surfaces, leading to difficulty in cleaning, plumbing, appliance performance, and HVAC heating system efficiency. Water softening can reduce a water’s hardness
“How did a former pond have a massive influence on the development of Manhattan?”
When we think of Manhattan, we imagine tall skyscrapers resting upon impervious concrete and flanked by hordes of honking cars in one of the most densely populated parts of the world. But hundreds of years ago, when Manhattan was under its rightful indigenous land stewardship, the island was mostly lush forest with plentiful fresh water. On the lower end in what is now Chinatown was a body of water that the colonizers later called Collect Pond. The A subdivision of the Lenape people lived in a settlement by the southwestern shore of Collect Pond. A while after the land was stolen by Europeans, the pond was used for fishing and later a summer picnic and winter ice skating rink. Businesses later discharged their contaminated wastewater into the pond, resulting in severe public health hazards. The city decided to drain Collect Pond by building a canal to the north and filling the pond with soil in 1811. This development paved the way for the creation of the modern Canal Street in New York City, forever altering the structure of the metropolis.
“How can we make more optimal irrigation techniques using a low-pressure, low-flow approach?”
Traditional irrigation techniques might result in landscape overwatering, leading to wasted water and damage to foliage. We can avoid these issues if we apply more efficient, low-pressure, low-flow-rate techniques that bring water directly to the roots of a plant. These Microirrigation techniques can save large percentages of water applied to the system.
“What describes the relationship between the amount of gas dissolved in a liquid and the partial pressure above the liquid?”
Pressure forces gas to move. If gas is in a container with a liquid and high pressure is acting on the gas, there is more force to move more of the gas into the liquid. If there is low pressure acting on the liquid, then more of the gas will escape from the liquid. This behavior is described by Henry’s Law, which is described by the formula C = k_H*P, with C being the concentration of the gas dissolved in the liquid (mol/L or mg/L), k_H the Henry’s Law constant (mol/liter-atm or dimensionless), and P the partial pressure of the gas in the air above the liquid (atm). Henry’s Law is a vital part of mass transfer analysis for many applications.
“What makes chemicals that have high vapor pressures at room temperature special?”
Substances with high vapor pressures become gases at low temperatures. Carbon-containing substances with high vapor pressures are classified as Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs. There are upwards of over ten thousand VOCs identified, ranging from perfumes to greenhouse gases. VOCs are the sources of most of the scents that humans can smell, and many VOCs contribute to air quality issues.
“What’s the equivalent of inertia for resisting change in acidity in water?”
Water of different makeups reacts to a change in acidity in different ways. Just like how objects have inertia for resisting change in motion, water has Alkalinity for changing acidity levels. The higher a water’s alkalinity, the easier it can neutralize acid. The molecules carbonate (CO3), biocarbonate (HCO3), and hydroxide (OH) contribute to a substance’s alkalinity. Alkalinity is measured in milliequivalents per liter.
“How can we protect soil against erosion and stormwater runoff?”
Soil is vulnerable to erosion and runoff, leading to water body pollution and disturbed geology. But if we can protect the soil’s foundation through stabilization measures. These Soil Stabilization techniques are an important part of stormwater and geotechnical management, making them a requirement for stormwater pollution prevention plans.
“How can we use simple engineering techniques to filter sediment out of stormwater?”
Stormwater can pick up sediment from construction sites, roads, and other surfaces it travels across. This sediment can pollute waterbodies, clog pipes, and harm natural water systems. So how can we use our engineering mindsets to stop the overflow of sediment? Well, we know that when runoff with sediment is slowed down, the sediment will eventually settle to the bottom. And we also know that once the sediment and water are separated, we can use an outlet to drain the filtered water. So, what if we were to design a pit that traps water, settles sediment, and removes the excess water? Well, this is the idea behind Stormwater Sediment Traps. Stormwater sediment traps are an effective way to remove sediment from runoff, and may be used to satisfy stormwater pollution prevention plans. Sediment traps also require maintenance to remove excess sediment buildup.
Isaac's Science Blog 