Foul Water Lab

Report
Adrian Rodriguez, Angel Castaneda
04.11.2016
Chem A 2nd period

INTRODUCTION
In the unit we are currently on we are studying water and the different kinds of ions in
water. In order to fully grasp the topic we are doing a lab that requires us to filter out
water that has been mixed with other substances such as cabbage pulp, oil, pond water,
and garlic salt. When we are done doing this we then run tests on clarity, odor and ions
which help us determine which filter worked best.

HYPOTHESIS
The filter we created should work fairly well but im not sure if it will eliminate the odor
from the foul water.

MATERIALS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Activated Carbon
2 Liter bottle
Rocks (Different SIzes)
Cotton
Foul water
Graduated Cylinder
Beaker

PROCEDURE
1. Went to hardware store bought supplies
2. Found a 2 liter coca cola bottle

3. Cut the top of the bottle off

4. Wash out the bottle
5. Dry the bottle
6. Stuff 3 cotton bottles in the top
7. Put a 2 inch layer of activated carbon on the carbon
8. Wash gravel
9. Place small gravel
10. Put an inch of activated Carbon on top
11. Add more medium sized gravel
12. Add large gravel
13. Poke holes in the cap then add activated carbon to it
14. Use the bottom as a catcher
15. Obtain Foul water
16. Put 400 ml into a beaker
17. Make observations and record
18. Add it into the filter then wait and repeat 16 if needed
19. (optional) Boil the water after filtered
20. Repeat step 17

DATA
Amoun
t

Smell/sight

Smell/Sight

Before

After

Garlicky, Cabbage juice

No odor left

400ml

Brown Murky, Garlic

particles, oily

No odor

343 ml

POST-LAB ACTIVITIES
AFter the lab we ran three tests to see if the water was completely purified these tests
were Clarity, Smell and electricity. When looking at the clarity of the water we didn't only
use what our yes could see we also used the tyndall effect which helped us see which
sample was clearer, the tyndall effect is when you shine a laser through the water and if
it passes straight through then it is clear. The next test that we ran was odor this was the
simplest of the 3 all we had to do was smell it. The last test was a little more complex we
had a light bulb connected to a wire and we dipped it into the samples of water to see if
any of them conducted electricity ultimately they all did even the clearest of substances,
this revealed to us that even though our water may look clean and smell clean often
times there are still little particles left in it that can be harmful.

CONCLUSION
The method we chose was very successful we ended up having the clearest sample it
looked like it came straight out of the tap but we did fail the ion test our water conducted
a lot of electricity. The purification could have been improved by boiling the water after
we ran it through our purifier and some sources of error would be that we could have
boiled the water for too long and lost some of our water that we had in the beginning.