Glacial Flow
Flobber Experiments
Name: __________________________________
Objective:
To determine which of the following parameters (slope, “ice” temperature, or basal
conditions) affects the glacier velocity the most.
Hypothesis:
Write a hypothesis about which parameter (slope, temperature, or basal conditions) you
believe will have the greatest effect on the velocity of glacial (flubber) flow.
Materials:
Ruler
Flubber – cold (blue), normal (white), warm (red)
PVC Tube – rough base (sandpaper), normal base, “wet” base (tinfoil and oil)
Stopwatches
Toothpicks
Procedure:
For Making Flubber
¾ cups warm water
½ cup glue
Two mixing containers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2 Tbls. Warm water
2 tsp. Borax
2 tsp. warm water
Food color (as indicated above)
Each group needs to mix three batches of flubber (one white, one red, and one blue).
The recipe below will make one batch of flubber.
In mixing bowl #1, mix ¼ cup warm water, ½ cup glue, and a dash of food color (as
indicated).
In mixing bowl #2, mix the remaining ½ cup water, 2 Tbs. and 2 tsp. warm water, and 2
tsp. Borax.
Slowly, pour bowl #2 into bowl #1.
A rubbery substance will form.
Keep the flubber in a plastic bag when it is not being use. Make sure you label the
plastic bags with your group’s name. Place the blue flubber in the refrigerator.
Part 1: Temperature and Ice Flow
During this portion of the experiment, we will determine the effect of temperature on the
velocity of glacial (flubber) flow. Write a hypothesis for this portion of the experiment below.
Hypothesis:
Procedure – Part 1:
1. Place the red flubber in the microwave oven and microwave until hot to the touch.
When flubber is hot enough, retrieve it from the microwave and place it at the top of
one of your PVC tubes.
2.
Retrieve the blue flubber from the refrigerator and place it at the top of a second of
your PVC tubes.
3.
Place the white flubber at the top of the third PVC tube.
4.
Lift the PVC tubes by each end of the pole. Set the pole on the ring stand as instructed
by the teacher and start the timer.
5.
Allow your flubber to flow for twenty minutes or until one of the flubber samples reaches
the end of its PVC tube. If a flubber sample reaches the end of its tube prior to the end
of twenty minutes, stop the experiment at that point and note the time. Record the
time on the data table.
6.
Measure the amount of flow, from the flubber front (glacial front). Record the distance
of flow on the data table.
7.
Calculate the velocity of glacial (flubber) flow using the equation v = d/t.
Part 2: Basal Conditions and Ice Flow
During this portion of the experiment, we will determine the effect that basal conditions have
on the velocity of glacial (flubber) flow. Write a hypothesis for this portion of the experiment
below.
Hypothesis:
Procedure – Part 2:
1.
All the flubber samples should be at room temperature before the start of this portion of
the experiment.
2.
Line one of the PVC tubes with sandpaper (rough bed), line the second PVC tube with
aluminum foil and lubricate with a small amount of vegetable oil (lubricated bed). The
third PVC tube should be the normal PVC tube (normal bed).
3.
Place a sample of flubber in each of the three PVC tubes. Since all of the samples are
the same temperature, it doesn’t matter which color flubber you use in each PVC tube.
4.
Lift the PVC tubes by each end of the pole. Set the pole on the ring stand as instructed
by the teacher and start the timer.
5.
Allow your flubber to flow for twenty minutes or until one of the flubber samples reaches
the end of its PVC tube. If a flubber sample reaches the end of its tube prior to the end
of twenty minutes, stop the experiment at that point and note the time. Record the
time on the data table.
6.
Measure the amount of flow, from the flubber front (glacial front). Record the distance
of flow on the data table.
7.
Calculate the velocity of glacial (flubber) flow using the equation v = d/t.
Part 3: Slope and Ice Flow
During this portion of the experiment, we will determine the effect that the angle of slope has
on the velocity of glacial (flubber) flow. Write a hypothesis for this portion of the experiment
below.
Hypothesis:
Procedure – Part 3:
1.
All the flubber samples should be at room temperature before the start of this portion of
the experiment.
2.
Each group will be assigned an angle of slope. Write down this angle here: ____________
3.
Divide each of your three flubber samples (red, white, and blue) into three parts. Roll
each part into a tube. Alternate these tubes as follows (R, W, B, R, W, B, R, W, B) and
compress them together. Place the entire mass of flubber into one of the PVC tubes.
4.
Lift the PVC tube by each end of the pole. Set the pole on the ring stand as instructed
by the teacher and start the timer.
5.
Allow your flubber to flow for thirty minutes. Continue this experiment even if the sample
reaches the end of the PVC tube. In the space provided below, make a sketch every
ten minutes of how the flubber moves during the experiment.
6.
Measure the amount of flow, from the flubber front (glacial front). Record the distance
of flow on the data table.
7.
Calculate the velocity of glacial (flubber) flow using the equation v = d/t. Add your
data to the class data table and copy the information provided by the other groups.
Flubber Drawings:
Glacial Flow – Flubber Experiment
Part 1: Temperature
Time (s)
Distance (m)
Velocity (m/s)
Time (s)
Distance (m)
Velocity (m/s)
Time (s)
Distance (m)
Velocity (m/s)
Blue (cold)
White (normal)
Red (warm)
Part 2: Basal Conditions
Rough (sandpaper)
Normal
Lubricated (oiled)
Part 3: Slope (˚)
Conclusions:
1.
For Part 1 of the experiment, what temperature flubber had the greatest flow velocity?
Which temperature of flubber had the least flow velocity? How did your results
compare with your hypothesis for this portion of the experiment?
2.
For Part 2 of the experiment, what basal condition allowed the flubber to flow with the
greatest velocity? What basal condition allowed the flubber to flow with the least
velocity? How did your results compare with your hypothesis for this portion of the
experiment?
3.
For Part 3 of the experiment, what effect did increasing the slope have on the flow
velocity of the flubber? How did your results compare with your hypothesis for this
portion of the experiment?
4.
What parameter (temperature, basal conditions, or slope) appears to have the greatest
effect on the velocity of flow of the flubber? Why do you believe that this parameter
had the greatest effect on the velocity of flubber flow? How did your results compare
with your hypothesis for the overall experiment? What factors may have affected the
results of this experiment? What factors make this experiment different from the actual
flow of glacial ice?