Lake Study for Windows Update
David M. Whisnant Department of Chemistry, Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC 29304 James A. McCormick Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
Note:	This program is included in the General Chemistry Collection (SP-16). To Order General Chemistry Collection
Lake Study for Windows is a two-part simulation designed to involve students with the scientific method. It allows them to collect data, formulate hypotheses, and test the hypotheses with controlled experiments. It is based on an Apple II program of the same name (1, 2). This version is an update of the previously published Windows program (3) that addresses several problems and provides better graphics. A Macintosh version is also available (4). Inclusion of the update in JCE Software Series D also gives the program the added convenience of a Windows Setup program to install the software. In the first part of the simulation students are asked to discover why young fish in a lake have difficulty breathing and consequently are dying. They can collect samples of the lake water (see Figure 1), analyze them for metals, dissolved oxygen, and pesticides, obtain library references on toxicities of the various pollutants, look at the fish themselves, or talk to a simulated colleague about what they have found. Having done this students can develop a hypothesis about the problem; however, there are randomly chosen differences in the information provided that lead some students to a different hypothesis from others. Figure 1. Screen for Lake Study showing students "sampling" the lake water for analysis In the second part of the simulation students can do controlled experiments to determine which of the two hypotheses is more likely (see Figure 2). The fact that different students reach different initial hypotheses is a good mechanism for inducing classroom discussions about the facts that support each hypothesis and their logical interpretation. Student handout guides are provided for each of the two parts of the simulation. Figure 2. Screen from Lake Study showing simulated fish-tank experiment. Hardware and Software Requirements   Computer  CPU RAM Drives Graphics Free Disk Space System Software Other  Series D Windows compatible 80386 or higher or Pentium 8 MB Hard disk, 3.5-in. high-density floppy drive 640 x480, 256 colors varies by program Windows 3.1x or Windows 95 --  Enzyme Lab Windows compatible  80386 or higher with math coprocessor 8 MB  Hard disk, 3.5-in. high-density floppy drive 640 x480, 256 colors 2 MB  Windows 3.11 with Win32s or Windows 95  Spreadsheet to complete calculations Lake Study Windows compatible  80386 or higher or Pentium 8 MB  Hard disk, 3.5-in. high-density floppy drive 640 x480, 256 colors  3 MB  Windows 3.1x or Windows 95 --  Literature Cited Whisnant, D. M. J. Chem. Educ. 1984, 61, 627-9. Whisnant, D. M. "Lake Study." Apple Disk AP804, Project SERAPHIM, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, 1984. Whisnant, D. M.; McCormick, J. "Lake Study for Windows", J. Chem. Educ. Software, 1992, 5B, No. 1. Whisnant, D. M.; McCormick, J.; Wagner, P. "Lake Study for Macintosh", J. Chem. Educ. Software, 1995, 7C, No. 1.

First Published: July 1997

Citation: Whisnant, D. M.; McCormick, J. A. Lake Study for Windows Update J. Chem. Educ. Software 5D1

Keywords: Lecture Aid; Computer Room; Simulation; High School; General; Analytical; Environmental chemistry; Water chemistry; Scientific method

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Last Updated: July 19, 2001 Created: June 19, 1997	Created by: Comments to: jceonline@chem.wisc.edu
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