Question

Some power plants release hot water (water was used to make steam to turn turbines to make electricity and also to cool the plant) into nearby rivers, lakes, or etc. Fish and other living organisms in these waters

sometimes die by suffocating to death because of the lack of oxygen. Explain why this would happen. (Hint: the solubility curve for oxygen shows that it decreases as temperature increases.)

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

When power plants release hot water into nearby rivers, lakes, or other bodies of water, it can lead to a decrease in oxygen levels, which can cause fish and other organisms to suffocate and die.

This happens because the solubility of oxygen in water decreases as the temperature increases. The solubility curve for oxygen shows that at higher temperatures, less oxygen can dissolve in water.

When hot water is released into a body of water, it increases the overall temperature of the water. As a result, the water's capacity to hold dissolved oxygen decreases. This is problematic for aquatic organisms, including fish, which rely on dissolved oxygen in the water to breathe.

Fish and other organisms extract oxygen from the water through their gills. When the oxygen levels in the water are low due to the increased temperature, the fish may not be able to extract enough oxygen to survive. This can lead to suffocation and death.

To summarize, the release of hot water from power plants into nearby water bodies can decrease the solubility of oxygen, resulting in lower oxygen levels in the water. This decrease in oxygen can suffocate fish and other organisms that rely on dissolved oxygen for survival.

Answer 2

The hot water released from the power plants heats the surrounding bodies of water, and because hot water can hold less oxygen, the organisms living in these environments may not have enough oxygen to survive.