Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I need help in understanding how to create and fill out a data chart for my project on brine to beverage

Hi syerra10,

Welcome to the Ask an Expert forums!

The end of the procedure for the project has a "Water Collection Data Chart". You can use this chart as your data table. You can copy the data table into your lab notebook. The cells beneath the headings "Amount Collected for Low Salinity (mL or tsp)" and "Amount Collected for High Salinity (mL or tsp)" are empty. This is where you will write down your data. Measure the amount of water you collected in the low salinity D1, and write that number in the cell of the data table directly beneath the heading "Amount Collected for Low Salinity (mL or tsp)" and to the left of "Desalinator 1 (D1)". Keep writing your measurements for each experiment in the data table. You will fill in 6 of the empty cells. Next, add up all of your measurements in each column and write that number in the "sum" box for the high salinity and low salinity cases, respectively. Then, divide that total by 3 (the number of trials) to get the average amount collected. Write that number in the "average" box for both the low salinity and high salinity cases.

Post back if you need some more help. Good luck with your project!

Hello there,
Hoping you can help us, Project is due friday jan 6th and we cannot find information that supports our findings. We have done this experiment 3 times. the first time we set it up we were able to produce any condensation because our sunlight just wasnt strong enough for the 3 days we attempted that method. we moved onto setting the desalinators atop our radiator and we finally were able to develop some condensation. When we did this we produced a substantial amount more condensation from the low salinity desalinator than the high salinity desalinator. After not being able to find any information to support this data online, we went back to the start and set up new desalinators and had the same results. So our question is.... Is this an expected outcome? If so, why? Diffusion? This is a 3rd grade science project and we chose this because it was in line with the water cycle which they have discussed however we are unsure how to proceed with this data and how to present it since we do not understand why out high salinity produced little condensation after days of data collection and multiple attempts at set up.

Hi nazymn8686,

It sounds like you've been very creative in finding ways to work around challenges! Good for you.

First, rest assured that the project is a success. You did the experiment, you collected data, and you drew a valid conclusion: that the low salinity desalinator produced less fresh water than the high salinity desalinator. That's what your data show, so that is the "correct" conclusion for your project--particularly since you repeated the project and got the same result. It's not the result you expected, but quite often scientists find unexpected results. Frequently, the unexpected results are the most interesting!

I'm not entirely sure myself why you would get this result. Is it possible that different parts of the radiator were warmer than others? Were all the containers in equal contact with the radiator? It's possible that the evaporation was driven primarily by heat from the radiator, instead of the sun. In that case, any variation in the temperature of the radiator or the flow of heat from the radiator into the bowls would affect the outcome. Hopefully someone else will chime in with additional thoughts. However, since this is a 3rd grade project chosen because of how it relates to the water cycle, I would focus on how the desalinated water tasted--did the water from the low- and high-salinity experiments taste equally fresh?

Thanks Terik!!!!!

I am relieved because I was starting to read into the project a bit too much....but liked your twist on focusing the taste of the water as opposed focusing on why the results varied from the two different desalinators. Thanks for the support and for letting me know we didnt "fail"


Nazareth