Introduction:
For this project, we analyzed the efficiency of P&G packets and banana peels filtration-wise. We wanted to determine what was more effective and the limitations of each filtration method. We hoped that by doing this, we would strengthen our understanding of the water preservation issue and think of more ideas to solve it.
Basically, we realized that the P&G packets only work with water that has bacteria. We conducted two trials with the P&G packets: one with actual dirt and one with hot chocolate. We realized that the P&G packets only filtered the dirt because that contained actual bacteria while hot chocolate didn't because it was made for drinking.
In order to determine the efficiency of banana filtration, we conducted two banana filtration experiments. We did two banana experiments: one with a low banana to liquid ratio and one with a high banana to liquid ratio. For the first experiment, we mixed 1/3 of a banana peel with 1000 ml of water and 200 ml of lead nitrate. Because there wasn't enough banana to filter out the lead nitrate, our experiment was a failure. We then tried it with 2/3 of a banana peel, 400 ml of water, and 50 ml of lead nitrate. This was a success because there was enough banana to filter out the lead nitrate. We concluded that the banana filtration can work for small amounts of water if you have a lot of banana. Our results are shown below in this presentation.
Basically, we realized that the P&G packets only work with water that has bacteria. We conducted two trials with the P&G packets: one with actual dirt and one with hot chocolate. We realized that the P&G packets only filtered the dirt because that contained actual bacteria while hot chocolate didn't because it was made for drinking.
In order to determine the efficiency of banana filtration, we conducted two banana filtration experiments. We did two banana experiments: one with a low banana to liquid ratio and one with a high banana to liquid ratio. For the first experiment, we mixed 1/3 of a banana peel with 1000 ml of water and 200 ml of lead nitrate. Because there wasn't enough banana to filter out the lead nitrate, our experiment was a failure. We then tried it with 2/3 of a banana peel, 400 ml of water, and 50 ml of lead nitrate. This was a success because there was enough banana to filter out the lead nitrate. We concluded that the banana filtration can work for small amounts of water if you have a lot of banana. Our results are shown below in this presentation.
Content:
Solution - a liquid mixture where the minor component is distributed within the major component. We formed solutions while mixing the P&G packets with the dirty water, the P&G packets with the hot chocolate water, and the banana peels with the lead water.
solute - The minor component in a solution. For our experiment, the P&G packets and banana peels were the minor components.
solvent - The major component in a solution. For our experiment, the dirty water, lead water, and hot chocolate water were the solvents.
electrolytes - minerals in your body that have an electrical charge and help balance the amount of water in your body.
non-electrolytes - minerals in your body that don't have an electrical charge.
polarity - a separation of electric charge leading to a molecule or its chemical groups having an electric dipole moment, with a negatively charged end and a positively charged end.
solubility - the ability for a solid, liquid or gas to dissolve. In other words, dissolving ions in solution. The P&G packets and banana peels are soluble because they dissolved in water.
pH - a measurement that tells how acidic or alkaline (basic) a substance is. The lower the number is, the more acidic the substance is and vice versa.
pH Scale - the scale that pH is measured on using acidity.
drink-ability range - the range that determines whether a liquid is drinkable or not. We used appearance and potassium iodide to determine if our liquids were in the drink-ability range.
P&G Packets - the packets contain calcium hypochlorite, ferric sulfate, and filter out bacteria. We tested them by putting them in dirty water and hot chocolate water.
Coagulation - the process that makes particles solid. This was a part of the P&G powder filtration used in the project.
Flocculation - the process that makes the solid particles settle on the bottom. This was the second step of the P&G powder filtration used in the project.
Disinfection - the process that kills bacteria and viruses. This was the final step of the P&G powder filtration used in the project.
Calcium Hypochlorite - this chemical compound is used to kill the bacteria in water. It is also used in disinfecting pool. This was one of the ingredients of the P&G packets used in the experiment.
Ferric Sulfate - This is used to separate the floating particles from the water, protozoa, and viruses. This was one of the ingredients of the P&G packets used in the experiment.
Banana Filtration - The process of using banana peels and mixing to filter dirty particles out of water.
Lead Nitrate - the chemical compound used in our banana experiment to represent lead. It is obviously a form of lead given the name, so we used it to check if the banana filtration experiment worked.
Potassium Iodide - The indicator used to check for lead. After mixing our banana peels with the dirty water, we used potassium iodide to check for lead nitrate. If the reaction of water with potassium iodide formed a bright yellow color, then there was still lead nitrate. Because there was still lead nitrate, the potassium iodide reacted with the lead nitrate to form the precipitate lead iodide. If there was no color, then the banana peels successfully filtrated out the lead nitrate.
solute - The minor component in a solution. For our experiment, the P&G packets and banana peels were the minor components.
solvent - The major component in a solution. For our experiment, the dirty water, lead water, and hot chocolate water were the solvents.
electrolytes - minerals in your body that have an electrical charge and help balance the amount of water in your body.
non-electrolytes - minerals in your body that don't have an electrical charge.
polarity - a separation of electric charge leading to a molecule or its chemical groups having an electric dipole moment, with a negatively charged end and a positively charged end.
solubility - the ability for a solid, liquid or gas to dissolve. In other words, dissolving ions in solution. The P&G packets and banana peels are soluble because they dissolved in water.
pH - a measurement that tells how acidic or alkaline (basic) a substance is. The lower the number is, the more acidic the substance is and vice versa.
pH Scale - the scale that pH is measured on using acidity.
drink-ability range - the range that determines whether a liquid is drinkable or not. We used appearance and potassium iodide to determine if our liquids were in the drink-ability range.
P&G Packets - the packets contain calcium hypochlorite, ferric sulfate, and filter out bacteria. We tested them by putting them in dirty water and hot chocolate water.
Coagulation - the process that makes particles solid. This was a part of the P&G powder filtration used in the project.
Flocculation - the process that makes the solid particles settle on the bottom. This was the second step of the P&G powder filtration used in the project.
Disinfection - the process that kills bacteria and viruses. This was the final step of the P&G powder filtration used in the project.
Calcium Hypochlorite - this chemical compound is used to kill the bacteria in water. It is also used in disinfecting pool. This was one of the ingredients of the P&G packets used in the experiment.
Ferric Sulfate - This is used to separate the floating particles from the water, protozoa, and viruses. This was one of the ingredients of the P&G packets used in the experiment.
Banana Filtration - The process of using banana peels and mixing to filter dirty particles out of water.
Lead Nitrate - the chemical compound used in our banana experiment to represent lead. It is obviously a form of lead given the name, so we used it to check if the banana filtration experiment worked.
Potassium Iodide - The indicator used to check for lead. After mixing our banana peels with the dirty water, we used potassium iodide to check for lead nitrate. If the reaction of water with potassium iodide formed a bright yellow color, then there was still lead nitrate. Because there was still lead nitrate, the potassium iodide reacted with the lead nitrate to form the precipitate lead iodide. If there was no color, then the banana peels successfully filtrated out the lead nitrate.
Reflection:
This project was interesting. I feel like we all had the potential to make this project better than it was, but our communication was our achilles heel. When we really understood what was going on, we would stay focused and work. However, there was a lack of communication on all fronts which led to disagreements and skewed compromises.
I would say the pits of our project were the beginning and end. In the beginning, it was extremely hard to come up with an idea because we disagreed on almost every idea brought to the table. Some of the people in our group stopped caring and gave up their ideas in order for us to get stuff done. The peak of our project was the middle because everyone figured out their role and played it well. Unfortunately, our inability to communicate made our group look unprofessional during our presentation at the end, which was a pit.
One thing that I felt I did well was critical thinking. I critically analyzed the 4 trials we ran while and after conducting them. I was then able to synthesize our results into slides and a table so the audience would be able to understand it easily. By understanding our project in simple terms, I was able to explain it to the audience during our presentation.
One thing I felt like I excelled in was citizenship. Citizenship is described as being in touch with everything around you. I think that I did well in citizenship because I was able to utilize my resources to produce the best possible outcome. For example, we got the P&G packets from our teacher because she had some hidden. We tested our experiment with some leftover hot chocolate power in our teacher's room, used a banana from the staff lounge, got the containers from the break room, and got the dirt from outside. We showed how our whole project can be finished by using the resources around us. Understanding and being aware of what surrounds you is the basis of culture and citizenship, and I feel like we excelled in this category individually and as a group.
As stated before, one thing I could improve on is communication. I should make sure to check on each of my group members to get them all on the same page. This would prevent misinterpretation of assignments and delegation. For example, one of the problems we had was one group member presented somebody else's slide even though that person was written to present the slide. I could've clarified the slide order with that one group member so our group didn't look unprofessional during our presentation.
Another thing I feel like I could work on is collaboration. Our delegation made this project seem like a loosely connected independent project. Everyone was hidden in their own bubble doing their own tasks. I think that encouraging the team to collaborate would diversify the ideas and connections we make.
I would say the pits of our project were the beginning and end. In the beginning, it was extremely hard to come up with an idea because we disagreed on almost every idea brought to the table. Some of the people in our group stopped caring and gave up their ideas in order for us to get stuff done. The peak of our project was the middle because everyone figured out their role and played it well. Unfortunately, our inability to communicate made our group look unprofessional during our presentation at the end, which was a pit.
One thing that I felt I did well was critical thinking. I critically analyzed the 4 trials we ran while and after conducting them. I was then able to synthesize our results into slides and a table so the audience would be able to understand it easily. By understanding our project in simple terms, I was able to explain it to the audience during our presentation.
One thing I felt like I excelled in was citizenship. Citizenship is described as being in touch with everything around you. I think that I did well in citizenship because I was able to utilize my resources to produce the best possible outcome. For example, we got the P&G packets from our teacher because she had some hidden. We tested our experiment with some leftover hot chocolate power in our teacher's room, used a banana from the staff lounge, got the containers from the break room, and got the dirt from outside. We showed how our whole project can be finished by using the resources around us. Understanding and being aware of what surrounds you is the basis of culture and citizenship, and I feel like we excelled in this category individually and as a group.
As stated before, one thing I could improve on is communication. I should make sure to check on each of my group members to get them all on the same page. This would prevent misinterpretation of assignments and delegation. For example, one of the problems we had was one group member presented somebody else's slide even though that person was written to present the slide. I could've clarified the slide order with that one group member so our group didn't look unprofessional during our presentation.
Another thing I feel like I could work on is collaboration. Our delegation made this project seem like a loosely connected independent project. Everyone was hidden in their own bubble doing their own tasks. I think that encouraging the team to collaborate would diversify the ideas and connections we make.