Using Three Different Filtering Materials, Will my Filter Work?

Andy Rivera

10/19/2017

Using Three Different Filtering Materials, Will my Filter Work?

At the start of this project, we were asked to come up with a question to answer during the project. I chose, “using three different filtering materials, will my filter work?” Throughout Unit 2 we learned about the different parts of the water cycle and using science to identifying the properties of water. In this action project, we will be able to use all of the knowledge that we gathered and input it.  The filter was focused to resemble a process called groundwater infiltration. This is a process that occurs when the water is soaked into the ground. I found a process that in some way can replicate the infiltration process and would be the most practical way of doing it. I found that the process of building my filter was surprisingly not as difficult I thought it would be. I felt that the filter did replicate the process of groundwater infiltration. I did learn about pH levels and in this project, I did get to apply it.

               I think that I could survive with my water filter but I’m not sure if I would get sick because I do not have a purification section in my process.

Lab Report:

Materials I used to build my water filter:

·        pH level strips

·        Sand

·        Gravel

·        Activated Charcoal

·        Mason Jar

·        Empty Water Bottle

·        Coffee Filter

·        Hammer

·        Nail

·        Plant Soil

·        Tap water

·        Craft Knife

I got most of my materials from e-commerce sites. Fortunately, I had some of the materials laying around my house. I also gathered sand from my nearest park. Overall, I was able to gather and acquire all of the materials required to build my filter.

A step-by-step process for building my filter:

I first started with cutting the bottom of the empty water bottle with my craft knife. This is where I would put all of my materials in including the coffee filter. Once I cut my water bottle, I pushed a nail through the water cap and this allowed for the water to sink through into the jar. Then I closed the cap with the coffee filter stuck to it from the inside. Next, I put the three main materials, sand, gravel, and activated charcoal in an order of: activated charcoal on the bottom, gravel in the middle, and sand on the top. Last, I put the water bottle into the mason jar and now the water filter is complete. The only thing to do is add water to it.

The why and how my filter will work:

A.R (2017) Water Filter Sketch

My filter has 3 components. The first is the materials that will reduce and eradicate the contaminants that have entered the water; Gravel, Sands, and Activated Charcoal. The second is the coffee filter that will filter the water even more. The third is the water hitting the mason jar which will collect as the water exits the bottle filter. The reason why it will work is that the gravel will catch any landfill or debris, then the sand will get rid of harmful bacteria, next the activated charcoal will trap and get rid of small microorganisms that are harmful to the filtered water. Finally, the water will go through the coffee filter which will provide even more filtering that will cause the water to be even cleaner.

My water filter compared to the groundwater filtration are both very similar. They both have a similar construction. They both capture its water and then flow through a series of materials that ends up making the water filtered. They both enter a sand or soil layer, which capture the same thing, and gravel, but the only difference is that it seems that the groundwater does not enter a layer of activated charcoal. Just like the groundwater filtration’s groundwater level, the mason jar resembles it in some way. You can access it by easily taking the filter out and there you have the water itself.

My Hypothesis:

 Groundwater filtration contains materials and a process that allows it to filter water. My filter contains materials that resemble that process. In result, this will allow the water that is tested to become filtered.

A.R (2017) Water Filter 

Before and After Filtration Description:

The source of my water was a combination of two things. The first was dirt from my plants and the second was water from my sink. The dirt contained leaves and serval other natural materials. I made a combination of these materials to make a more accurate representation of what could occur. I felt that I knew I had an accurate representation when I smelled the water, which appeared to have an acidic smell to it before I filtered it. After I filtered an estimated 100mL of water, the water did have a little acidic smell to it. The pH rate was 6.0 before I filtered it and when I filtered it, it came out to be 6.5.

               pH scale

0-----6(Before)6.5(After)7------14

The range above goes as follows: Acidic, Before, After, Neutral, and Basic

The information above shows that my water is acidic and is filtered to the point that it is not too acidic to drink. That doesn’t mean that it is safe from bacteria or other containments.

The pH levels converted into H+ and scientific notation:

·        6.5 to H+=0.000000316

·        3.16=  3.16 x 10^-7

·         6 pH to h+=0.000001

·        6= 10^-6

Observation:

I found that my water filter did in fact work because the water that came out of the filter happened to be clear which was very surprising to me. It looks like my hypothesis was correct.

My logarithmic equation:

Here is my logarithmic equation to describe the difference in the water, before and after:

·        Before, 10^-6= 0.000001

·        After, 10^-6.5= 0.000000316

The results are both in hydrogen concentration ion form.