Infections and Health Activity Worksheet Instructions: Complete all parts of this worksheet. You will submit your completed worksheet. Introduction Contaminated water is a health risk, and not all populations have access to clean water. You are going to use household items to design, test, and revise a water filtration system. New technologies undergo testing and revision before they are released to the public. This lab will simulate how the scientific process is used to solve problems.
Purpose The purpose of your design is to filter dirt, sand, and other sediments from "swamp" water. You do not need to make it drinkable during this design. You will begin with a water sample that has visible dirt, mud, or other contaminants. You will design a way to filter the water and evaluate your design. You will not be able to test for microorganisms or to filter them out during this design process. Do not test the water by drinking it. Important: Do NOT drink the water in your experiment.
Materials "Swamp" water (You can get this from an outside source like a hole in the ground, puddle, lake, river, swamp. Or, you may add dirt and sediment to tap water.) The starting sample should have visible dirt or sediment.
You may use any household materials for your water filtration system. Here are some suggestions: Cheesecloth Coffee filters Cotton balls Funnel Old t-shirt Pantyhose Sock Water bottle
Planning for Design One Use this space to write out the plan for your water filtration design. List the materials you will use and how it will work. Use complete sentences and detailed examples. You may include sketches or diagrams.
Data for Design One Describe the appearance and smell of the "swamp" water before and after filtration. Use complete sentences and detailed examples.
Water before filtration Water after filtration Description of appearance
Description of smell or other physical characteristics
Rate the visible cleanliness of the water on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10