Experimental Design
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Experimental Design
Bashaer Alkhafaji
University Of Michigan- Dearborn
Experimental Design
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Question: Which paper towel absorbs water the most?
Personal Relevancy and Description of subject area: Paper towels are very useful when it
comes to cleaning up spills. In addition, paper towels can be used to dry hands, wipe tables, and
etc. (Paper towels) There are so many uses for paper towels that Americans last year “spent
nearly $2.3 billion on paper towels” (Wilbert, 2003). The reason why Americans prefer paper
towels than cloth towels is because they can be thrown away, unfortunately “sending 3000 tons
of paper towels to landfills each day” (Wilbert, 2003). Imagine how many trees were cut down to
meet consumer needs. According to the Business and the Environment, “270,000,000 trees are
flushed down or thrown into the garbage” (2006).
As a teacher, I want to teach my students to be more eco-friendly and to save money.
Students have a tendency to overuse paper towels and waste not only money spent on paper
towels, but also trees that were cut down to make paper towels. I want to show them how
much paper towels they really need by doing an experiment of which paper towel absorbs water
the most. Also, this experiment will show them that the most absorbent paper towel will hold
enough water without over using it in a minor spill.
Hypothesis: Bounty paper towels will absorb more volume of water, then other brands of paper
towels in a time frame on one minute.
Variables:
Independent Variable:
Three different types of 27.9x22.3 cm paper towel sheets will be tested
Dependent Variable:
Experimental Design
Measure 100 ml of water absorbed in paper towel for 1 minute
Controlled Variables:
Amount of time that each paper towel will be placed in the water
Amount of water put on each paper towel
Controlled how I measured the water
Controlled how I drained the water
Controlled where I placed the paper towel in the pan of water
Controlled the way I picked up paper towel
Materials:
3 sheets of Viva (White Big Roll) paper towel
3 sheets of Bounty (Basic White) paper towel
3 sheets of Magic Soft paper towel
8 x 11 inch glass pan
1 Funnel
Scissors
Ruler (a metric ruler)
Timer
1 clear plastic beaker (Make sure you can fill it up with 100 ml of water.)
1 test tube (Make sure it can fill up to 50 ml of water)
3
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Water (900 ml of water)
Writing Utensil to record data (Pencil or Pen)
Notepad to record observations
Wash Towel (Any wash cloth would do)
Procedure:
1. Since all three paper towels will vary in size, cut Viva and Bounty to match Magic
Soft sheet size since it has the shortest sheet size. When stacking them all together,
make sure that Magic Soft is on top of the other two paper towels so you have a
guide for cutting the sheet. Using a ruler, measure Bounty and Viva to make sure
they are 27.9x22.3 cm.
2. Pour 100 ml of water into the pan.
3. Start by Placing the Bounty paper towel in the middle of the pan and gently with
your fingers soak the paper towel in so the entire sheet can absorb the water.
4. Time it for one minute and record what you see happening to the wet paper towel.
5. During this time, place the funnel on top of the plastic test tube.
6. When one minute has passed, using your hands, pick up the paper towel by one of
the corners touching the smallest amount possible and slowly move to the top of the
funnel and gently squeeze the water out enough without ripping the paper towel.
7. Record how much water was absorbed in the paper towel by looking directly at the
measurements on the test tube and what you saw.
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8. Empty the water out of the test tube and pan, and completely dry it out with a wash
cloth.
9. Repeat this experiment two more times so you have three sets of data.
10. Repeat steps 2-8 for the Magic Soft and Viva paper towels.
Process Skills:
Skills Used
Where Skills Were Used
How Each Skill Helped in
Completing Experiment
Prediction
Before I began my
This skill helped me to
experiment, I predicted that
make a testable hypothesis
If I pour water into the
where I can conduct my
bounty paper towel, then it
experiment. It gave me
will absorb water the most.
ideas that I should have
other paper towels and
pour water to see how
much they can absorb 100
ml of water for one minute.
My prediction helped me
analyze through
experimentation that I was
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wrong and that the most
absorbent paper towel out
of the three would be Viva.
Observation
The observational skill was
My qualitative
used when I had to wait one
observations skills helped
minute for the paper towel
me advance into
to absorb the water. I
experiment because it
observed the paper towel
allowed me to record data
soaking in the water. I made
of how the paper towel
a qualitative observation that looked and felt when it
the paper towel felt spongy,
absorbed water.
when I gently with my
fingers, soaked the paper
towel in so the entire sheet
can absorb the water. Also, I
noticed the paper towel
became visible and I could
see through it.
Measurement
When the paper towel was
I learned exactly how much
completely “dry” or enough
water paper towels can
water was squeezed out
absorb in one minute. Also,
without being ripped, I
I calculated the mean of the
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looked directly at the test
three paper towels to help
tube units and recorded my
me find the answer to my
observation for all three
question.
trials. I used my
quantitative skills when I
had to squeeze water out of
the paper towels into a test
tube.
Classification
Once I completed my
This skill helped me in
experiment, I had to look at
analyzing that the Viva
my data to Serialize which
paper towel absorbed the
paper towel absorbed water
most, then Bounty paper
the most and the least.
towel, and then Magic Soft
paper towel by calculating
the mean of the three trials.
Inferences
My pervious knowledge
However, my experiment
about which paper towel
proved otherwise. From
absorbs water the most was
what I observed, I inferred
Bounty. I seen it advertised
that the Viva paper towel
in commercials many times,
absorbed water the most.
and assumed it is the best in
The evidence suggests that
absorbing water.
the Viva paper towel has
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better quilt quality and is
thicker than the other paper
towels which lead it to
absorb water the most.
Communication
I used this skill when I
This skill helped me to
recorded my data during my
show others my results of
experiment. I then
the experiment. My table
communicated it through the and bar graph were useful
table I made of the collected
in helping me and others to
data, and graphed it showing see that Viva paper towel
it visually for others my
absorbed water the most,
results.
then Bounty, and then
Magic Soft paper towel.
Identifying Variables
Constructing a table
I used this skill when I came
This skill helped me in
up with an independent and
figuring out what and how
dependent variable for my
I need to measure in my
hypothesis.
experiment.
This skill was used when I
Recording my data helped
had to record my data during me remember what I
the experiment.
observed during my
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experiment.
Constructing a graph
After gathering my data and
The graph helped me to
making a table, I made a
visually see the results of
graph.
my independent and
dependent variables.
Hypothesis
Before I began my
The hypothesis was well
experiment, I needed a
focused because I knew
hypothesis to test my
what I am testing and how.
variables.
Experimenting
When I had to figure out
The planning of an
what materials I needed a
experiment lead me to find
reliable procedure to do my
out if my hypothesis is
experiment.
correct or incorrect.
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Results:
Which Paper Towel Absorbs Water the Most?
Water Absorbed (ml)
Paper Towel
Trial One
Trial Two
Trial Three
Brand
Mean of Water
Absorbed (ml)
Bounty
32
34
35
33.6
Magic Soft
34
32
27
31
Viva
47
38
40
41.6
Qualitative Data:
I waited one minute for the paper towel to absorb the water. During that time, I observed
the paper towel soaking in the water. When I gently touched the paper towels with my fingers, as
it was being soaked by the paper towel it felt soft and mushy like a sponge. Also, I saw the paper
towel become more visible that I could see through it. I did not smell or taste the paper towel
because it was not relevant to my question as to which paper towel can absorb water the most.
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Quantitative Data:
Conclusions and Explanation:
During my experiment, I learned that paper towels absorb water at different amounts. I
predicted that the Bounty paper towels will absorb more volume of water, then other brands of paper
towels in a time frame on one minute. I collected my qualitative date by observing the paper towel
soak in the water. Also, I when I gently touched the paper towels with my fingers, as it was being
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soaked by the paper towel it felt soft and mushy like a sponge. In addition, I saw the paper towel
become more visible that I could see through it. I did not smell or taste the paper towel because
it was not relevant to my question as to which paper towel can absorb water the most. The way I
calculated my quantitative data by picking up my paper towel by one of the corners touching the
smallest amount possible and slowly move to the top of the funnel and gently squeeze the water out
enough without ripping the paper towel. I did this three times for three trials. During trial one, Bounty
absorbed 32 ml of water, Magic Soft absorbed 34 ml of water, and Viva absorbed 47 ml of water.
On the first trial, Viva absorbed water the most, then Magic Soft, and then Bounty. During the
second trial, Bounty absorbed 34 ml of water, Magic Soft absorbed 32 ml of water, and Viva
absorbed 38 ml of water. Looking at the second trial, Viva once again absorbed water the most.
After Viva, Bounty and then Magic soft paper towel. During the third trial, Bounty absorbed 35 ml of
water, Magic Soft absorbed 27 ml of water, and Viva absorbed 40 ml of water. Examining the other
two trials with the third trial, Viva absorbed water the most. After Viva, Bounty absorbed water
more than the Magic Soft paper towel. As you can see, during the first trial, Bounty absorbed water
the least, but on the second and third trial it absorbed water more than Magic Soft paper towel. I
then calculated the mean of water absorbed by the three paper towels because Bounty and Magic
soft had similar results, and it would be easier to communicate which one absorbed more by finding
the average. I found that Viva’s mean as 41.6 ml, Bounty’s mean as 33.6 ml, and Magic Soft’s mean
as 31 ml. There is a significant difference in the mean of Viva’s to Bounty’s and Magic Soft’s mean.
Between Bounty’s paper towel absorbency and Viva’s, there is an 8.0 ml difference. Between Magic
Soft’s and Viva’s water absorbency there is a difference of 10.6 ml. However, Bounty’s and Magic
Soft do not have a great amount of difference in water that they absorbed. The difference they
have is 2.6ml of water that was absorbed.
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This may be that they have similarities in the quality of how the product was produced and
that Viva’s paper quality is more different and better. The package of Viva’s says it is “Soft and
strong like cloth.” Magic Soft’s front package states that it is “Strong and absorbent” and Bounty’s
front package states that it “Cleans up and holds up”. This may be true since the other two do not
state the material of the paper towel is like a cloth. The results show that my hypothesis is not
supported. Bounty paper towels did not absorb more volume of water, then other brands of paper
towels in a time frame on one minute. In fact, Viva paper towel was most absorbent, Bounty the
second most absorbent, and Magic as the third.
Changes:
Changes I would make to this experiment would be to test this experiment using more
brands of paper towels, maybe three more. This will give more variety of different paper towels
and can help in analyzing which paper towel is the most absorbent. Another change would be to
leave the paper towel in the pan for ten or fifteen seconds. I think timing the paper towel to
absorb the paper towel for one minute is probably too long and unnecessary. I noticed the water
spreading or being absorbed by the paper towel was less than twenty seconds. A third change to
this experiment is to experiment with other types of liquids. Milk is likely to be spilled by
students, especially during lunch time. Maybe there is a difference in the amount of absorbency
of water and milk in paper towel. I could repeat this experiment to see if milk or water is
absorbed by paper towels more. I would do three different trials of water and milk by pouring
them onto a pan to see to see which one is absorbed by the Viva paper towel..
Reflections:
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I learned a lot by conducting my own scientific experiment. I learned that science has many
process skills. The importance of this experience is that I was able to learn as well as practice the
process skills of science; observation, communication, classification, inferring, and predictions,
identify variables, construct a hypothesis, table, and graph, describe the relationship between
variables, process my own data, analyze data, and most importantly design an experiment. It is
important that students have knowledge of the science basic skills, and how to properly do
science, as well as, be able to define what science is. I have confidence to use these basic skills
and apply them when conducting an experiment. I learned that each process skill can be
integrated with other process skills. The experiment I conducted went well, and gave me the
results I wanted because my hypothesis was testable. Science also has bodies of knowledge with
laws, theories, and facts. Also, science is a way of knowing. We know things based on what we
observed and found evidence. Furthermore, science can limit bias.
My favorite part of science was always experimenting. Since I was in elementary school,
I loved doing science by hands on experiments. I got to enjoy science the way I used to by doing
my own experiment. By doing this experiment, I learned that Viva absorbs water the most. As a
teacher, I want to save money and be more eco-friendly. I will be using the Viva paper towel in
my classrooms, and will make sure that I teach my students not to overuse paper towels for
minor spills so we can be more eco-friendly. Furthermore, I hope as a teacher that I can teach my
students with the same knowledge that I have gained of what science is and how to use the
process skills.
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Reference:
Paper towel. (2010, December 13). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:38,
December 16, 2010, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paper_towel&oldid=402190026
Flushing Trees. (2006, January). Business and the Environment, 17(1), 12. Retrieved December
15, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 966183081).
Wilbert, T. (2003, October 15). Atlanta's Georgia-Pacific Escalates Paper-Towel Chase.
Retrieved December 15, 2010, from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-108858335.html