Acid Thunder: Saving El Tajín from Acid Rain: Process

This is designed to be a two week project (approximately 50 minutes per day). It can be done individually or in groups. There are three main parts to the project:

  1. Learn about the phenomenon of acid rain.
  2. Conduct a meteorological analysis of the December 5-6, 2002 acid rain event at El Tajín.
  3. Prepare a report with your results.

1. Learn about the phenomenon of acid rain

There are several ways for you to gain a good background understanding of the chemical, meteorological and biological aspects of acid rain. One way is to study the pages in the “Introduction” and “Meet the Scientists” sections of this webquest. Another way is to explore the “More Acid Rain Info” links listed in the Information Resources section of the webquest. Finally, your teacher may have some useful resources for you to use.

2. Conduct a meteorological analysis of the December 5-6, 2002 acid rain event at El Tajín

You will need to investigate the three important meteorological processes involved in acid rain: transport, clouds, and precipitation. Links to all of the weather charts you will need, including trajectory, precipitation, and cloud maps, along with explanations of the maps, are provided in the “Meteorological Data” table within the Information Resources section. Geographic maps of Mexico and the U.S. are also provided in the Information Resources section.

3. Prepare a report with your results.

Your report should have four sections:

  1. Description of the acid rain phenomenon, including meteorological and chemical processes and effects on the natural environment and on human-made structures.
  2. Results of your meteorological analysis of the December 5-6, 2002 acid rain event at El Tajín.
  3. A determination of what cities or areas probably contributed pollution to El Tajín’s rain on December 5-6, 2002. The information you will need for this part of the report is provided in the “Population Data” and “Geographic Maps” tables in the Information Resources section of the webquest. (See the Guidance section for details and suggestions.)
  4. Your thoughts about what might be done to protect El Tajín, other monuments and environments from acid rain.

Your report can take the form of a written paper, a computer presentation using Powerpoint or the equivalent, or a web page. Good luck, and have fun!