RED DROP – GREEN DROP

PROBLEM: How does detergent change the way water acts?

RESEARCH: Look up the words, observation and inference, in a dictionary. How is a guess different from an inference? Before doing the activity, list five observations and five inferences and check them with your teacher to be sure you understand the difference.

HYPOTHESIS: Based on your experience with dishwashing detergent, what do you think will happen when you add the detergent to the water?

MATERIALS:

red food coloring

dropper

green food coloring

dishwashing detergent

tap water

waxed container or wax paper

PROCEDURE:

1. Add a drop of red food coloring to a small container of tap water.

2. Add a drop of green food coloring to a small container of tap water. Add one drop of detergent to the green water.

3. Place the wax paper on a flat surface.

4. Add a few drops of red water to the wax paper. Record as many observations as you can. Save the red drop and wax paper for the next steps.

5. Add a few drops of green water to a second piece of wax paper. Record as many observations as you can.

6. Carefully transfer the green drop to the red drop. Record as many observations as you can.

7. Using your observations, make inferences about the differences between the red drop and the green drop.

DATA: Make a data table to record your observations and inferences.

CONCLUSION: This is not optional. You must explain what you learned by doing this activity. Remember that you must answer the question you asked in your original problem statement.

NOTE: BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PARENT OR GUARDIAN SIGNS YOUR WORK. PARENTS: YOUR SIGNATURE SHOWS YOUR STUDENT HAS DONE THE WORK.

TEACHER SECTION:

POSSIBLE HYPOTHESIS: The detergent will make the water behave differently than the water without detergent.

POSSIBLE CONCLUSION: The Student should use observations to explain the differences between the red water and the green water.

E-Mail

Judy Schneider

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