Jain_Dhruv_Tutorial1

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Feb 20, 2024

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Name: Dhruv Jain Tutorial Section (Day/Time): Tutorial #1: Introduction to Scientific Data and Graphs Instructions: Download this worksheet to your computer. Type your answers directly onto the worksheet. Save your worksheet as a pdf with the filename Your Last Name_First Name_Tutorial1 (e.g. Holland_Tara_Tutorial1.pdf). Upload your completed worksheet to Canvas  Assignments  Tutorial 1 as a .pdf attachment. This tutorial is graded out of 25 marks. Point values are given in parentheses after each question. Learning Goals:  Distinguish between independent and dependent variables  Justify appropriate types of visualizations for specific data sets  Interpret data presented in tables and graphs Resources on Canvas :  Tutorial 1 Pre-Reading: Variables, Data Visualization Types and Examples  Presenting Data: Graphs and Tables  Using Graphs and Visual Data in Science Context: Most environmental science research involves many variables, and data from more than one field of research. In science, a variable is any factor, trait, or condition that can exist in differing amounts or types. Scientific data is information collected using specific methods for a specific purpose of studying or analyzing. Data gathered as part of a scientific experiment or observational study is usually kept in a ‘raw’ format (e.g. in a spreadsheet) until processed. Processing might include performing calculations on the data to make it more meaningful (e.g. an electric signal converted to a conductivity measurement that indicates salinity), or conversion to alternate units (e.g. 'amount' to concentration, or imperial to metric). For publication in peer-reviewed, scholarly journals, or for sharing with the public, data is presented in a graphical format to make it more useful and easier to understand. It can be gathered into a table, or plotted on a graph or chart. Tables and graphs/charts should contain several key elements to ensure credibility and ease of interpretation:  An informative title  The data source  For graphs/charts: labelled axes with dependent & independent variables  Possibly a legend (depending on type) You should be able to interpret and explain the data that such visualization tools present. For this tutorial, we will be examining data from the Canadian National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Holland EVSC 100 2024 Tutorial 1

Part 1: Understanding Variables and Data Visualization Examine Table 1 and answer the questions below. Table 1. Annual releases of mercury to water in Canada, 2003-2021. Source: National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI), 2022 Year Mercury releases to water (kg) 2003 375.8 2004 333 2005 530.3 2006 337 2007 251 2008 208 2009 338.7 2010 256.2 2011 354.4 2012 172.2 2013 211.5 2014 2321.4 2015 111.8 2016 142.5 2017 120.3 2018 110 2019 106 2020 82 2021 98 Questions: 1. Indicate which is the independent variable, and which is the dependent variable. Explain your answer. (3) Independent: The independent variable is time (measured in years). Dependent: The dependent variable is Mercury released in water (measured in kg). Explanation: The table illustrates the quantity of mercury released into water over different years. The amount of mercury released serves as the dependent variable, while the years represent the independent variables, as we analyze their progression and impact on the mercury release trend. Holland EVSC 100 2024 Tutorial 1

2. What units of measurement have been used? (1) Years and Kilograms have been used as units of measurement. 3. What is the source of this data? (1) National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI), 2022 4. Plot the data from Table 1 in a graph/chart . Remember that the Independent variable should go on the horizontal (x) axis, and the Dependent variable on the vertical (y) axis. This can be a rough sketch: it does not need to be perfect, but should include all the key elements and data from Table 1. (4) Note: There is no need to print this worksheet; you can sketch the chart on a separate piece of paper, take a photo of it, and insert it as an image in the space below. If you are familiar with using Excel to create charts, you can also feel free to do this – but you will learn more about how to do that in a couple weeks! 5. Give 1 observation that can you make from the graph that you drew above. What do you notice about the data? (1) Holland EVSC 100 2024 Tutorial 1 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 Table 1. Annual releases of mercury to water in Canada, 2003-2021. Mercury releases to water (kg)

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A steady decline in mercury discharges into Canadian waterways between 2003 and 2021 is seen by the data in the graph. Interestingly, the earlier years show greater values, which gradually decline over time, especially after reaching a peak in 2014. This pattern points to an improvement in mercury management strategies or a decrease in the mercury pollution sources. Now examine Table 2 (below). 6. What extra information does the data in Table 2 give you about the data you examined in Table 1? (1) It provides further information regarding the yearly discharge of mercury into water across Canadian provinces and territories. 7. If you were to present some or all of the data in Table 2 in graphical form, which type of graph(s) or chart(s) would be most appropriate? Why? (1) A pie chart would be the best option only considering the data from Table 2. The pie chart can visually display the proportion of mercury release attributed to each province or territory, offering a clear and intuitive representation of the relative contributions. Holland EVSC 100 2024 Tutorial 1

8. What steps would you take to find out any unanswered questions you may have about the data in either Table 1 or 2? (1) The data provided may not successfully encourage the public to voice concerns because it does not clearly explain the effects of mercury leaks into water. To better understand the potential impact, additional research on the internet is recommended to explore the documented effects of mercury pollution on the environment and public health. This additional information can raise public awareness of the problem and encourage a more thoughtful and effective response. Bonus point : What caused the unusual measurement in the 2014 data? The unusual measurement in 2014 data is due to the large amount of mercury released into water by British Columbia. Part 2: Graph Interpretation Examine the chart in Figure 1 and answer the questions below: Figure 1. California Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDRI), 1895-2022. Source: NOAA. 9. What is the: (1) a. Independent variable? Time (in years) b. Dependent variable? Palmer Drought Severity Index Holland EVSC 100 2024 Tutorial 1

10. In your own words, what is represented by: (2) a. The green bars? It represents the years where PDSI was more than zero. This indicates higher rainfall than average. b. The orange bars? It represents the years where PDSI was more than zero. This indicates rainfall lower than average leading to drought conditions. Scientific graphs often display information about multiple different data sources. For example, examine the more complex graph in Figure 2 and answer the questions below: 11. What two dependent variables are displayed on the vertical axes, and what units are each measured in? (2) Antarctic temperature (measured in degree Celsius) and Concentration of Co2(measured in parts per million). 12. Why do you think there are two vertical axes, but only one horizontal axis, drawn on this graph? (1) There are two vertical axes, each corresponding to a dependent variable, and both are influenced by an independent variable represented by time, which is measured in years and Holland EVSC 100 2024 Tutorial 1

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displayed on the horizontal axis. 13. In your own words, what does the blue line represent? The red/orange line? (2) The blue line illustrates the concentration trend of CO2 released in parts per million from 800,000 years before present to the current day. In parallel, the orange line depicts the temperature variation in the Antarctic region over the same time span, also from 800,000 years before present to the present day. Because environmental science data is geographic in nature, data is commonly represented in choropleth maps. The anomaly map in Figure 3 is similar to the one shown in the Week 1 lecture slides. You can refer to the Tutorial 1 Pre-Reading for information on how to interpret choropleth and anomaly graphs. Examine the map and answer the questions below. Figure 3. Global map of June 2023 surface temperature anomaly relative to the 1951-1980 June baseline. Data Source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies 14. On this map, what does a surface air temperature anomaly of 0  C mean? (1) This indicates that there is no observed variation in temperature within the specified region of the Earth. Holland EVSC 100 2024 Tutorial 1

15. On the map, what is represented generally by: (2) a. Blue colours? It indicates decreasing temperature in a particular region of Earth. b. Red colours? It indicates increasing temperature leading to more warmth in a particular region of Earth. 16. Give an observation that you can make from this map. (1) Most parts of Earth are experiencing a noticeable rise in temperature. The significance of closely observing and mitigating the effects of global climate change is underscored by this warming trend, which points to a widespread and significant change in climatic circumstances. 17. Signifi Holland EVSC 100 2024 Tutorial 1

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