Cleaning up an Oil Spill
Objective: to figure out some effective environmentally safe methods for cleaning up an oil spill?
Materials:
Goggles, lab apron, newspapers, masking tape, aluminum pie pan, water, motor oil, 2 droppers, string (25 cm piece), 2 beakers, 150 ml, 10 ml graduated cylinder, 2 wooden splints, matches, sand, straw, liquid detergent, paper towels,
Procedure: (read all the steps in the procedure before doing anything)
1. Put safety equipment on. Cover work area with newspapers and attach with tape.
2. Fill the pie pan with water to a depth of about 2 cm. Add two drops of oil to the center of the water. Tie the ends of the string together and gently place the circle of string around the oil at the water’s surface.
3. Carefully add another 2 ml of oil inside the string. Try using the string to pull the oil to one side of the pan. Record your observations in the Data Table.
4. Using one of the droppers try to suction the oil from the containment area. Place the oil from your dropper in one of the beakers and dispose of it in the container provided by your teacher. Record your observations.
5. Remove the string from the pan and dispose of it in the container provided by your teacher. Using a graduated cylinder, measure 5 ml of the oil and add it to the water. Fill a clean 150 ml beaker with tap water. Ignite a wooden splint with a match. Using the burning splint, ignite the oil on the water in the pie pan. Record your observations in the data table.
6. If you were able to remove all the oil in Step 5, add another 5 ml of oil to the pan. If the oil was not cleaned up in Step 5, proceed using the oil already in the pan. Spread a handful of sand lightly over the surface of the oil. Wait one or two minutes record your observations.
7. If all the oily sand from step 6 is below water level, add another 5 ml of oil to the pan. If the sand is above water level, dispose of the contents of the pan in the container provided by your teacher. Then add a fresh supply of water to a depth of about 2 cm and add 5 ml of oil to the water. Sprinkle a handful of straw on the surface of the oil. Record your observations until no further changes occur.
8. Dispose of the contents of the pan into container from teacher. Rinse and wipe out your pan. Again, fill the pan with water to a depth of 2 cm and add one drop of oil. Now add one drop of liquid detergent to the oil and stir the two together using a clean wooden splint. Record your observations.
9. Dispose of the contents of the pan in the container provided by your teacher. Clean up area and wash your hands before leaving the lab.
10. Do not write out the procedure but write out all of the observations and
Questions.
Observations
Cleanup Procedure / ObservationsQuestions:
1. Why is containment alone not a satisfactory answer to the oil spill problem?
2. The string used in Steps 1-3 of the procedure shows how a boom works to contain oil spills. Were you able to contain your oil with the string provided? Why or why not?
3. Do you think it would be possible to use a suction device like the dropper used in this investigation to remove a large oil spill? Explain
4. Why did the sand cause the oil to sink?
5. Does sinking the oil with sand appear to be an effective method of cleaning up an oil spill? Explain our answer.
6. Why did the straw not cause the oil to sink?
7. What effect did the detergent have on the oil? Would this effect aid in cleaning up an oil spill?
8. If the oil could be ignited, would you consider this an effective and safe way to clean up an oil spill? Explain.
9. Based on your results, which method of cleanup tested in this investigation do you think is the most effective?
10. If scientists are able to reclaim oil by removing it from the water’s surface, what problems would they encounter in trying to make the oil suitable for reuse?
Conclusion: If you had to design a plan to be used in cleaning up an oil spill, taking into consideration factors such as speed of removal, damage to the environment, and cost what strategies would you include? (3)