About This Project
When in the stratosphere, ozone protects us from cosmic radiation, but on the Earth's surface, ozone is a large public health issue to humans. Ozone is also the main contributor to smog, and is harmful to many of Earth's fragile ecosystems. We are a group of high school students devising a product which will reduce the ozone levels of urban and suburban areas through pumping the ozone through a chamber filled with Chlorofluorocarbons, a chemical which breaks ozone down into oxygen molecules.
Ask the Scientists
Join The DiscussionWhat is the context of this research?
The primary motivation behind the project is the create a device which will help sustain the environment. As lifelong advocates for environmental sustainability, we have done a lot to help reduce the human impact of our community on our surrounding environment. For example, team members Freddie Houghton and Chase Standage help organize various community clean-up and beautification projects. In addition, team member Ryien Hosseini, has worked with community leaders in Moorpark, CA to create an incentive system for local businesses which encourages environmentally friendly business practices. By creating a product which will help reduce pollution, we hope to continue our goal of helping preserve the environment and protecting the health of those who live in urban and suburban areas.
What is the significance of this project?
It is an established fact that ozone, while invaluable to the ecosystem when in Earth's stratosphere, is catastrophic to the biosphere while on the Earth's surface. Ozone has been shown to be a carcinogenic to both humans and a large number of fauna. In addition, ozone has a disastrous effect on the quality of life of those living in urban environments. Ozone also causes dangerous shifts in the growth of plants and the mating cycles of animals. Ozone is also a proven corrosive and mineral pollutant. By creating a device that can help eliminate ozone, we have the potential to help preserve our environment while improving the life of humans.
What are the goals of the project?
The goal of this project is to synthesize a product which will reduce the levels of ozone in the air. The product works by using a fan to displace air contaminated with ozone into a tube, through a activated carbon filter and into a chamber. In the chamber, the ozone is exposed to trichlorofluoromethane and ultraviolet light. The UV light induces the separation of trichlorofluoromethane into chlorine and a positive ion. The chlorine then reacts with the ozone to create regular oxygen (O2) which is then passed through another filter and back into the environment. Experimentation will begin at the conclusion of this fund raising campaign and will conclude by the end of April of this year.
Budget
The budget items will help us complete the project by giving us the funds necessary to purchase the materials to create the first prototype for the project. We will have the research portion of the project complete by March 15th of this year and will begin to purchase materials for the building stage. The project, which will be part of the Ventura County Science Fair, will be complete by April 20th. After the creation of a successful prototype, we hope to expand our project to help reduce ozone levels in our hometown of Moorpark, CA. Immediate costs would be for the chlorofluorocarbon, ultraviolet light and structural aspects of the project. If we fund raise more than our goal of $1,000, we can also look to implement solar panels to the project as to make the system completely self-sustainable.
Meet the Team
Team Bio
This team brings together three young scientists who are working to create change in their world. All three have taken college level classes in physics, chemistry, mathematics etc. and are thus experienced and have the background necessary to conduct this research. All are respected leaders in their schools and communities and are united by their common drive to solve pressing environmental and public health issues through scientific research.
Chase Standage
Chase Standage is a student attending Moorpark High School, ranked 10th in his class with a 4.20 cumulative GPA. He is extremely passionate and experienced in the fields of physics and chemistry, having logged significant amounts of lab time, and is adept in the engineering aspects of the project. Through the US Navy Sea Cadets and other programs, Chase has acquired notable experience in leadership, and bolsters his scientific interest with community involvement. He constantly applies his science and engineering background to real world situations. For example, at age 17, Chase is a private pilot and has a thorough understanding of the principles of physics that affect flight. Chase hopes to use his passion for science and engineering to benefit our society and world.
Ryien Hosseini
Ryien Hosseini is also a student attending Moorpark High School. Ryien participates in several activities, projects and competitions both inside and out of school. Ranked 5th in his class and with a 4.28 GPA, Ryien enjoys learning about a variety of subjects but is most passionate about math, physics, engineering and the application of these subjects into practical applications which can help his community. Outside of school, Ryien is involved heavily in helping keep his community as environmentally responsible as possible. Ryien works with community members to ensure that schools, parks and businesses have the resources they need to operate as efficiently and environmentally friendly as possible. Outside of science, Ryien is an avid soccer player, community leader and pianist. Ryien is an aspiring environmental engineer and hopes to use this project as an opportunity to take his passion for environmental activism to a larger scale level.
Frederick Charles Houghton III
Frederick is also a student at Moorpark High School. As a student of engineering, Frederick has been fascinated by historical scientific discoveries in the physical world. With a contemporary GPA of 4.72, he avidly studies collegiate physics and calculus in order to excel in his future field of engineering. In his pursuit of success, he aims to accomplish new ideas, in order to implement a discovery of his own to the world full of scientific principles and ideas. Outside of school, his activism is underscored by real-world dilemmas, which include research in environmental, biomedical, and mechanical engineering. He is a currently prospect of his future schools, as he is being viewed by colleges such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California: Los Angeles, and Stanford University. Outside of the engineering and scholarly aspect of his life, Freddie enjoys competing in water polo. He is currently a member of the Olympic Development pipeline, and an Academic All-American in USA Water Polo.
Lab Notes
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