Oil Spill Simulation
STEP 1: Gather a bucket of water, a rock with a plant on top, and a feather.
STEP 2: In the bucket of water, add a tablespoon of oil to the center of the bucket. This simulates the oil leakage.
STEP 3: Observe what happens for one minute. Record observations below.
Observations:
STEP 4: Gently blow on the water for a few seconds. This simulates the wind.
STEP 5: Observe what happens for one minute. Record observations below.
Observations:
STEP 6: Place the rock with the plant on top and the feather in the water. Add a tablespoon of oil to each.
STEP 7: Observe what happens for one minute. Record observations below.
Observations:
STEP 8: Using the items listed in the table, you will have 20 minutes to clean up the spill. Each item will cost you money. You have $100,000 to spend. Keep track of your spending in the chart below.
Type of Material | Cost | Quantity | Cost x Quantity | How effective was the item? |
Spoon | $3000 | |||
Q-tip | $6000 | |||
Cotton Ball | $8000 | |||
Dish Soap (1 tbsp) | $15000 | |||
Coffee Filter | $2000 | |||
Pipet | $4000 | |||
Total Cost of Expenses = | ||||
Remaining Budget = | ||||
STEP 9: Design a proposal to recommend which materials and procedures work best for cleaning up an oil spill. You can choose to use sentence stems below.
I propose _____________ works best for cleaning up oil spills because _________.
The material that was the most effective in cleaning up oil spills was __________. I know this because ____________.
The most cost effective way to clean up the oil spill is __________________. The amount spent on this method was _______________.
STEP 10: Create a presentation using any form of media you choose. You will present your proposal to an oil spill cleanup service.