Cat Counselor

Science Fair Project On Testing Drinking Water by

You are intelligent enough to know that the purpose of most science fair projects is to teach students how to use scientific methods to solve problems on their own. A science fair project can allow students, parents, and teachers to make new discoveries together. One of those discoveries might be how clean your drinking water is.

Students may expect faucet water to be clean, but is it? A science fair project on testing drinking water can help them learn what is in the water they use. This outline will help them and you conduct a drinking water test.

State Your Hypothesis

A good example might be, If I test drinking water from different sources, which will I find to be the best for my health?" A poor example would be, If I drink tap water, what happens?"

Background Research

Learn all that you can about what water may contain. Research the effects of various contaminants, minerals, etc.

Develop a Drinking Water Test

What kind of drinking water test will you use? What kinds of drinking water will you test? Will you buy a kit, or simply order appropriate test materials? How will you collect the water to be sure you do not change its content?

What You Need for Drinking Water Tests

Students will need Colorimetric test strips for many drinking water tests. Kits are available from science fair websites. Water Safe Drinking Water Test is an EPA standardized, laboratory certified simple kit that identifies harmful levels of 8 different common contaminants in water: bacteria, chlorine, lead, nitrates, nitrites, pesticides, pH, and water hardness.

Predict Results

Write out a prediction of what you expect. Will your city tap water be the best water for your health? Should your family pay money to drink only bottled water? What do you predict your drinking water test will reveal?

Conduct Your Drinking Water Test

Students may choose from many drinking water tests. Here are a few possible tests. Younger students may want to use only one. Older students may combine a series of drinking water tests.

1. Basic: A basic drinking water test might allow students to test water for alkalinity, chlorine (both free and total), nitrate and nitrite, pH, and water hardness. What is the basic make-up of your water?

2. Bacteria: Along with a basic drinking water test, you might test for bacteria in the water. Water from a drinking fountain may show bacteria that collect on the bubbler and wash into the water.

3. City Water: What is in municipal drinking water? You can use the basic drinking water tests above, but check, too, for metals and sediment. Are corroding pipes contaminating the water?

4. Well Water: Since the government does not test private wells, there may be contaminants in the water taken from them. What might you find? Would you expect more sediment or less? Would your drinking water test be likely to find pesticides if the well is near a farm or garden where they are used?

5. Bottled Water: Is bottled water really pure? Is it better than tap water or worse? Run a drinking water test on it and see what you find.

6. Water Cooler: If your water cooler is typical, a large five-gallon bottle is turned upside down into the drinking water crock. Might there be germs on the bottle top? Will a drinking water test show up these germs?

7. Pet Water Bowl: Pet drinking water tests will show you what your pet's water contains. The pet bowl should not be cleaned right before the test. Allowing your pet to drink from it will show whether or not the water is still pure enough for humans.

Repeat Your Drinking Water Test

A good scientist repeats tests to be sure the results are the same. You will not have accurate results if you run your drinking water test only once.

Analyze

Analyze the results of your tests. Which water is purer? Which one tastes better, looks better, and smells better? From your analysis, do you think your prediction will hold up?

Arrive at Conclusions

Draw conclusions from your drinking water test. Look at all the evidence and decide what it means in regard to healthy drinking water.

1. Which water contains the fewest contaminants?

2. Which water contains the fewest bacteria?

3. Which water is best for your health?

Prepare Your Display

Decide early how the display will look and leave plenty of time to complete it. Will you have photographs? Will you have clear glasses containing water samples? How will you display used test strips?

Most science fair projects require a display board to communicate your work to others. A three-panel display board that is 36" tall by 48" wide when unfolded is standard. On your board, include these elements.

1. Title: Make it catchy and big enough to read from across a room.

2. Hypothesis and research: Organize your information from top to bottom, left to right, as though you were planning a newspaper page. Put Hypothesis and research information on the left side of your board.

3. Materials and procedures: Place this information just under your title in the middle of the board.

4. Data / Charts / Photos: These go at the bottom of the center part of your board.

5. Results and conclusions: The right side of your board holds the final information about your drinking water test.

A science fair project on testing drinking water can be interesting and exciting, appropriate for any age student. The results may surprise everyone.

2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart, a career educator and writer, has served as school teacher and principal at schools in the United States and New Zealand. From that perspective, she invites you to read more of her articles about healthy drinking water at http://www.healthydrinkingwaterblog.com. Anna continues to post additional valuable information on that site about understanding clean water's importance and making sure you have the best drinking water. If you are involved in a drinking water test, you will want to learn more about what's in our drinking wa

Article Source: http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/Science-Fair-Project-On-Testing-Drinking-Water/129264

WaterDog® Automatic Outdoor Pet Drinking Fountain | GadgetsAndGear.com

Cat and Dog it Fresh and Clear Water Fountain 55600 with 3 pk Foam Cartridge replacement 55601 These Hagen Cat It water fountain filters are two stage water filters which supply clean, filtered water for your cat or other small pet. The specially designed Cat It water filter can also help to prevent recurrent kidney or urinary tract infections in your pets. The Cat It fountain water filter needs to be changed about once a month for maximum effectiveness. This Set Includes * Cat It Foam...

Cat - Kitten playing in drinking fountains Photo Mugs LA-1136 Cat - Kitten playing in drinking fountains Rome, Italy Jean Michel Labat Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way. contact details prints ardea tel 020 8672 2067....

Contech WAT002 WaterDog Automatic Outdoor Pet Drinking Fountain $69.67 Contech WAT002 WaterDog Automatic Outdoor Pet Drinking Fountain The WaterDog automatic outdoor pet drinking fountain lets your dog help itself to fresh water, so you don't have to worry about stagnant or empty water bowls. WaterDog senses your dog's approach, and automatically dispenses a cool, clean stream of fresh drinking water. Smart sonar sensing technology triggers the WaterDog to turn the w...

Dog Fountain Card 5 x 7 inch premium quality folded paper greeting card. Animals / Pets cards & photo Animals / Pets cards from Greeting Card Universe will bring a smile to your loved ones' face. We will mail the cards to you or direct to your loved ones. Turn to Greeting Card Universe for all your Animals / Pets card needs. This paper card includes the following themes: dog, water fountain, and drinking. Greeting ...

Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Pan - Warm Gray $23.79 Hagen CatIt Hooded Cat Litter BoxOur Hagen CatIt Hooded Cat Litter Boxes provide privacy for your cat while retaining the litter inside the pan. The large hood lifts up for easy access for cleaning, while the built-in bag anchor helps keep the bag open and frees your hand for scooping. Replaceable carbon filter effectively traps and removes litter box odors....

Catit Fresh and Clear Fountain Replacement Cartridges $8.10 Catit Fresh and Clear Fountain Replacement Cartridges are foam/carbon based filters that help reduce bad tastes, odors and absorbing impurities present in tap water. Catit Fresh and Clear Fountain Replacement Cartridges fit the Catit Fresh and Clear Small Drinking Fountain for Cats. Catit Fresh and Clear Fountain Replacement Cartridges will provide clean and fresh water that is essential to prev...

Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Cat - Kitten playing in drinking fountains from Ardea Wildlife Pets $24.99 Photo Puzzle, Cat - Kitten playing in drinking fountains. LA-1136 Cat - Kitten playing in drinking fountains Rome, Italy Jean Michel Labat Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way. contact details prints ardea tel 020 8672 2067. Chosen by Ardea Wildlife Pets. 10x14 Photo Puzzle with 252 pieces. Packed in black cardboard box of dimensions 5...

Catit Drinking Fountain Replacement Carbon Filter Cartridge for Fresh & Clear Drinking Fountain - 3-Pack $9.49 Fresh and Clear Fountain Replacement Cartridge for Drinking Fountain - 3 pack3-pack of replacement carbon cartridges for Catit Fresh and Clear Fountains. These arbon filters absorb debris, food, hair and sediment. ...

Lentek Pet Fountain $49.97 Lentek Pet FountainOne of the best ways to improve your pets' health is to get them to drink more water. The Pet Fountain is simple, safe and proven to benefit for your pet. The Pet Fountain continually aerates your pet's water with healthy oxygen. A charcoal filter also removes bad tastes and odors, giving your pet the freshest-tasting water possible. The water continuously circulates with an adj...

Comments are closed.