Science Project's Due Soon!

[StarGirl]

I was wondering if this experimment would be too easy for me. [shown below] My science project is due on Jan 28 and I am in desperate need of an experiment that takes a day or less than a day. I don't have a way to contact my teacher to see if this project is on the level of a 9th grader. Please help me. Thank you.

>>>How to Clean up After an Oil Spill:
This high school science fair project is an experiment designed to find out what works best to clean up after an oil spill.

You will need:
Yellow vegetable oil
A tablespoon
A Clear plastic or glass bowl
Water
A spoon
Fishnet, cheesecloth, or gauze
Cotton balls
Polypropylene cloth—(Polypropylene is the common name of a synthetic cloth material often used for cold weather clothing like gloves and sock liners. It can be purchased at most sporting goods stores.)
What to do:

1) Fill the bowl approximately half full with water.
2) Add a few tablespoons of oil until you can see the contrast between the water and oil.
3) Try a few items, and find out which item you think will remove the most oil and leave the most water. Try to remove the oil with each of the items, the spoon, the fishnet, cheesecloth or gauze, the cotton balls, or the Polypropylene cloth.

What you need to find out from this high school science fair project:
1) Which items work best to collect the oil?
2) Can you think of other ways to collect and dispose of the oil without causing further harm to the environment?

Facts:

Polypropylene and oil are both made of carbon and hydrogen; therefore, they are attracted to each other.

Oil and water are made of different elements. They are not attracted to each other.

An oil and water solution is an example of an "immiscible solution." They will never mix and will always separate into layers.

Polypropylene is used to collect oil spilled on water, which is a major ecological and environmental problem worldwide.

Polypropylene floats on water and absorbs the oil so that the spill is removed.

For this high school science fair project, do some research on the environment and how it is affected when oil spills. Try to find some pictures of the harm oil can do to animals etc. for your science fair display.

[deleted-71536]

Dear StarGirl,

This looks like an interesting and fun project that will fit your deadline. It looks to me as if it is appropriate for 9th grade-level science. Keep in mind, however, that what will make it an interesting project is relating it to the ability to clean up actual oil spills. Make sure you do the appropriate research for this part!

Meanwhile, if you want to look at other topics, the Science Buddies website has great project ideas , and even a topic selection wizard to match your personal interests: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... deas.shtml

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

Cheers,
Heather

[StarGirl]

Okays. Thank you so much for replying. I am now researching about oil spills and topics related to my experiment. I'll be sure to tell you guys what the actual outcome is. Thanks again. (=