Looking Back: What happened? Describe the results of your experiment.
Before we conducted our experiment we got out a flask and filled it about 50 mL of water. Brayden then handed out Sodium Polyacrylate. He first gave us 2 grams, and told us to slowly pour the water into the Polyacrylate. As I was stirring the Water with the Substance I saw the sodium reacting. It started turning into a Gel like substance. He then asked the class what we thought it looked like. I admittedly thought of diapers!
How did your experiment turn out?
As I was stirring the substance and pouring more and more water in I started to see that the Sodium was soaking up the water. It looked like diapers do when a baby pees in them! (Gross) It felt like gel though... Which is exactly what Brayden said would happen.
Did it work?
Yes! He then gave us more Sodium Polyacrylate. He gave us 2 Grams. He told us to mix as much water as we could in the substance. We put 500 mL into the bowl. When we reached 500mL the Polyacrylate no longer looked like baby diapers it looked like a gel. Kind of like jello but not as tasty looking.
Looking Beyond:
What do you think has happened?
I think the Sodium Absorbed the water as much as possible and turned it into a liquid gel like substance.
What’s the science?
When adding water to the substance it loses volume and becomes more of a liquid. While doing the experiment I thought it was gaining volume and gaining mass but Brayden explained that its shrinking.
What questions came up during the experimentation?
I was wondering why the substance was becoming more of a liquid. Also I wanted to know why he kept telling me to pour slowly? Why did it matter if I poured fast or slow? As long as I was pouring the same amount of liquid why did it matter?
Did you do any further investigation into the science behind things?
No. I did not. I should though... I think I will because I really am interested to know why it matters if I pour slow or fast.
Looking inward:
Humans doing science - Lab Practice
Did you get desirable results?
Yes I did. At the end of our experiment we added gatorade to our substance. We found out that salt and water is okay to add and the Sodium Polyacrylate will absorb that but not milk because milk is not water.
How do you think you performed in this activity?
I think I did pretty well. I took notes. Did the experiment. Payed attention. Learned how to make baby diapers. Didn't kill any of my partners. I would have to say it was a good activity.
Looking outward: Collaboration and Impact
Who did you work with?
Kim Ngo, Miles McCartney and Lauren Taylor.
How do you think your group performed?
I think we performed swell. We all took turns stirring and getting materials and taking notes. Oh and we all had fun!
What did you contribute to the group?
I stirred, got materials, took pictures and helped clean up.
Looking Forward: What next?
If you could do this again, what would you change to get better results?
I would use more Sodium Polyacrylate because it would make more of the gel substance and I feel like it would be easier to take pictures of.
If you were organizing a group for the next lab activity, who would you choose to work with again?
Most definitely! They are the best!
Do you see any way to continue this experiment? Would you want to?
Yes I could see using different substance other than water milk and gatorade. Like adding maybe different liquids and seeing if it would work. And Yes I would.
Take aways:
What skills, techniques, or pieces or wisdom did you get from this activity?
I know how to make baby diapers now... or hair gel... Yes I think how to make hair gel would be the piece of wisdom I got from this!
Before we conducted our experiment we got out a flask and filled it about 50 mL of water. Brayden then handed out Sodium Polyacrylate. He first gave us 2 grams, and told us to slowly pour the water into the Polyacrylate. As I was stirring the Water with the Substance I saw the sodium reacting. It started turning into a Gel like substance. He then asked the class what we thought it looked like. I admittedly thought of diapers!
How did your experiment turn out?
As I was stirring the substance and pouring more and more water in I started to see that the Sodium was soaking up the water. It looked like diapers do when a baby pees in them! (Gross) It felt like gel though... Which is exactly what Brayden said would happen.
Did it work?
Yes! He then gave us more Sodium Polyacrylate. He gave us 2 Grams. He told us to mix as much water as we could in the substance. We put 500 mL into the bowl. When we reached 500mL the Polyacrylate no longer looked like baby diapers it looked like a gel. Kind of like jello but not as tasty looking.
Looking Beyond:
What do you think has happened?
I think the Sodium Absorbed the water as much as possible and turned it into a liquid gel like substance.
What’s the science?
When adding water to the substance it loses volume and becomes more of a liquid. While doing the experiment I thought it was gaining volume and gaining mass but Brayden explained that its shrinking.
What questions came up during the experimentation?
I was wondering why the substance was becoming more of a liquid. Also I wanted to know why he kept telling me to pour slowly? Why did it matter if I poured fast or slow? As long as I was pouring the same amount of liquid why did it matter?
Did you do any further investigation into the science behind things?
No. I did not. I should though... I think I will because I really am interested to know why it matters if I pour slow or fast.
Looking inward:
Humans doing science - Lab Practice
Did you get desirable results?
Yes I did. At the end of our experiment we added gatorade to our substance. We found out that salt and water is okay to add and the Sodium Polyacrylate will absorb that but not milk because milk is not water.
How do you think you performed in this activity?
I think I did pretty well. I took notes. Did the experiment. Payed attention. Learned how to make baby diapers. Didn't kill any of my partners. I would have to say it was a good activity.
Looking outward: Collaboration and Impact
Who did you work with?
Kim Ngo, Miles McCartney and Lauren Taylor.
How do you think your group performed?
I think we performed swell. We all took turns stirring and getting materials and taking notes. Oh and we all had fun!
What did you contribute to the group?
I stirred, got materials, took pictures and helped clean up.
Looking Forward: What next?
If you could do this again, what would you change to get better results?
I would use more Sodium Polyacrylate because it would make more of the gel substance and I feel like it would be easier to take pictures of.
If you were organizing a group for the next lab activity, who would you choose to work with again?
Most definitely! They are the best!
Do you see any way to continue this experiment? Would you want to?
Yes I could see using different substance other than water milk and gatorade. Like adding maybe different liquids and seeing if it would work. And Yes I would.
Take aways:
What skills, techniques, or pieces or wisdom did you get from this activity?
I know how to make baby diapers now... or hair gel... Yes I think how to make hair gel would be the piece of wisdom I got from this!