Create a water filter Follow FizzicsEd 150 Science Experiments: Comments 0 You will need: Three plastic cups Two water bottles (to run two different versions Scissors A rubber band Old stocking material (or kitchen cleaning wipe) Sand and gravel with materials of different sizes Water and dirt Optional cardboard cutter (adult use only) Copyright Instruction 1 Make a cup of dirty water and set it to one side. 2 Cut each water bottle in half. You can either use the cardboard cutter to make a small cut or alternatively pinch the plastic bottle and then use the scissors to cut the bottle. 3 Using the rubber band, tie a piece of cut stocking or kitchen wipe onto the opening of the water bottles. Make this fairly strong as it will need to hold the weight of the sand and gravel. 4 In one water bottle add sand first and then gravel, in the other bottle put the gravel in first and then the sand. The idea is to see if the order of filtering materials makes a difference to how well the water is filtered… all about variable testing! 5 Balance each of the two bottles upside-down in the remaining cups. Pour the dirty water into each water bottle and see how well the dirty water gets filtered! 6 You could test how well you’ve filtered water using a secchi disc 7 Also, try measuring the pH before and after the water filter experiment… did it make any difference? 8 School science visits since 2004! – Curriculum-linked & award-winning incursions. – Over 40 primary & high school programs to choose from. – Designed by experienced educators. – Over 2 million students reached. – Face to face incursions & online programs available. – Early learning centre visits too! 9 Get the Unit of Work on Mixtures here! How can we separate mixtures? What are the different techniques? From chromatography to magnetism, join us to explore the variety of ways we can separate mixtures! Includes cross-curricular teaching ideas, student quizzes, a sample marking rubric, scope & sequences & more 10 Online courses for teachers & parents – Help students learn how science really works Why Does This Happen? You have created a simple water filter! The sand and gravel particles act as a sieve, trapping larger material from filtering down with the water as it travels downwards. Filtering such as this occurs in the natural environment as well. There are many communities that rely on underground aquifers which have accumulated over millions of years as water has filtered through the soil to the bedrock. A classic example of an underground aquifer is Australia’s Great Artesian Basin which covers much of Queensland and South Australia with extensions into the Northern Territory and NSW. You can create a simple model of soil horizons that produce these natural water filters by alternating different sands and gravel in a clear container. Variables to test More on variables here Try different size sieve meshes by changing the dishcloth type What happens if you change the size of the sand and gravel grains? Learn more! From surface tension to the water cycle, we’ve got you covered for your next water unit! Get in touch with FizzicsEd to find out how we can work with your class. Working with Water Years K to 2 Maximum 30 students School workshop (NSW & VIC) 60 or 90 minutes Online Class Available Read More Enquire Now Liquifly water rocket $31.95 inc. GST View Details Add to Cart Trustpilot STEM Full Day Accelerator - Primary Designed from real classroom experiences, this modular day helps you create consistently effective science learning that directly address the new curriculum with easily accessible and cost-effective materials. Read More Enquire Now Be Amazing! How to teach science, the way primary kids love. $29.95 inc. GST View Details Add to Cart Trustpilot
Cut each water bottle in half. You can either use the cardboard cutter to make a small cut or alternatively pinch the plastic bottle and then use the scissors to cut the bottle.
Using the rubber band, tie a piece of cut stocking or kitchen wipe onto the opening of the water bottles. Make this fairly strong as it will need to hold the weight of the sand and gravel.
In one water bottle add sand first and then gravel, in the other bottle put the gravel in first and then the sand. The idea is to see if the order of filtering materials makes a difference to how well the water is filtered… all about variable testing!
Balance each of the two bottles upside-down in the remaining cups. Pour the dirty water into each water bottle and see how well the dirty water gets filtered!
School science visits since 2004! – Curriculum-linked & award-winning incursions. – Over 40 primary & high school programs to choose from. – Designed by experienced educators. – Over 2 million students reached. – Face to face incursions & online programs available. – Early learning centre visits too!
Get the Unit of Work on Mixtures here! How can we separate mixtures? What are the different techniques? From chromatography to magnetism, join us to explore the variety of ways we can separate mixtures! Includes cross-curricular teaching ideas, student quizzes, a sample marking rubric, scope & sequences & more
From surface tension to the water cycle, we’ve got you covered for your next water unit! Get in touch with FizzicsEd to find out how we can work with your class.
Working with Water Years K to 2 Maximum 30 students School workshop (NSW & VIC) 60 or 90 minutes Online Class Available Read More Enquire Now
STEM Full Day Accelerator - Primary Designed from real classroom experiences, this modular day helps you create consistently effective science learning that directly address the new curriculum with easily accessible and cost-effective materials. Read More Enquire Now
Designed from real classroom experiences, this modular day helps you create consistently effective science learning that directly address the new curriculum with easily accessible and cost-effective materials.
Be Amazing! How to teach science, the way primary kids love. $29.95 inc. GST View Details Add to Cart Trustpilot
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