Materials
Four clear plastic cups
Red food coloring
Water
Pitcher
Measuring cup
Procedure:
1. Pour one cup of water into one of the glasses. Add 3 drops of food coloring. This water is now polluted by chemicals that have moved into the water. Label this glass #1. Record your observations.
2. Pour ½ cup of polluted water from glass #1 into a cup labeled #2. Add ½ cup of fresh water to cup #2. Stir to mix the waters. Record your observations.
3. Pour ½ cup of water
from #2 into cup #3. Add ½ cup of fresh water into #3. Stir to mix the waters. Record your observations. What is happening to the chemicals?
4. Pour ½ cup of water from #3 into cup #4. Add ½ cup of fresh water to cup #4. Stir to mix the waters. Record your observations.
Discussion
1. Look at your observations what has happened from cup to cup?
2. What has happened to the chemicals?
3. Do you think dilution is a good way to deal with chemicals that get into our water supply?
- The legislation expert can use this as an example of dilution and compare it to the amounts of chemicals allowable by law.
Adapted from Hazardous Household Waste produced by the Regional Water Authority, New Haven, CT
