ScienceExperiment

EastHavenHighSchoolFantasticPlastics

EXPERIMENT1
ExperimentalDesignforExperiment1

Problemstatement:
Algalplasticswillbeaviablealternativetoregularplasticsfortheproductionof
yokesthatarecurrentlyusedforsodacanpackaging.

Hypothesis:
Ifalgalplasticsareexposedtosaltwater,freshwater,sandanddirtthenthisgreenplastic
willlosemassanddecomposeduringathreeweekperiodwhencomparedwithplasticsusedtomake
yokesforsodacanpackaging.

IndependentVariable:
Typeofenvironment

theplasticisin(saltwater,freshwater,dirt,sand)
DependentVariable:
Changeinmassingramsasaquantitativemeasurementandqualitative
observationsafterathreeweekperiod.

Constants:
Timeinenvironment(3weekperiod),massdeterminedbysamestudents,sametimeof
day,bothplasticsburiedto6cmdepthinbothsandanddirtbothplasticsputinto6cmofboth
saltwaterandfreshwaterallfourcontainerswiththeexperimentareplacedinthesameroomlocation
ensuringtheenvironmentisstableforall4containersandtheonlyfactorcontrollingtheexperimentis
theenvironmenttheplasticsareplacedin.

ExperimentalDesign:

1. Place6cmofsandintoa50cmx25cmplasticcontainer.
2. Place6cmofdirtintoa50cmx25cmplasticcontainer.
3. Pour6cmofsaltwaterintoa50cmx25cmplasticcontainer.
4. Pour6cmoffreshpondwaterintoa50cmx25cmplasticcontainer.
5. Usingprovideddirections,preparethealgalstarchbioplastic.
6. Whenthebioplastichassolidified,measurethebeginningmassofeachofthe4bioplastics
AND4regularplasticyokes.Recordthebeginningmassinthedatatable.
7. Buryonebioplasticandoneregularplasticinthesandtoadepthof6cm.
8. Buryonebioplasticandoneregularplasticinthedirttoadepthof6cm.
9. Placeonebioplasticandoneregularplasticintothesaltwatertoadepthof6cm.
10. Placeonebioplasticandoneregularplasticintothefreshpondwatertoadepthof6cm.
11. Placeallfourcontainersinthecorneroftheclassroomtoensureacontrolledenvironment.
12. Afteroneweek,removeeachoftheplastics,brushoffthesandanddirtandmassbothplastics,
recordingtheirmassesinthedatatable.Reburytoadepthof6cm.
13. Afterthesameoneweekperiod,removeeachoftheplasticsfromthesaltwaterandfreshwater,
patbothplasticsasdryaspossibleandmassbothplastics,recordingtheirmassesinthedata
table.Placebothplasticsintheirrespectiveaquaticenvironmentstoadepthof6cm.for
anotherweek.
14. Repeatsteps12and13fortwomoreweeks,foratotalof3weeks,recordingdataeachtime.
15. Createaformaldatatableandgraphforeachofthe4environmentsandanalyzetheresults.

Table#1MassesofPlasticvsAlgalPlasticsWhenBuriedinDirt,Sand,Saltwater,and
FreshwaterforThreeWeeks
Typeof Regular Algal Regular Algal Regular Algal Regular Algal
Plastic Plastic Plastic Plastic Plastic Plastic Plastic Plastic Plastic
Starting
Mass
(gms)

1.4

18.4

1.7

27.5

1.6

12.4

1.4

15.5

1st
Week
(gms)

1.6

4.4

1.4

4.9

1.6

13.4

1.7

16.4

2nd
Week
(gms)

1.7

4.1

1.5

4.2

1.5

3.7

1.4

16.5

3rd
Week
(gms)

1.6

3.5

1.6

1.9

1.7

2.3

1.4

13.3

0%

14.20%

%
change
ofmass 14.3%

86.40% 5.90% 93.10% 6.30% 81.50%

Graph#1


GraphKey:
BlueRegularplasticinsand
RedAlgalplasticinsand
OrangeRegularplasticindirt
GreenAlgalplasticindirt
PurpleRegularplasticinsaltwater
LightBlueAlgalplasticinsaltwater
PinkRegularplasticinfreshwater
LightGreenAlgalplasticinfreshwater

QuantitativeDataforExperiment1

Table1.MassesofRegularandAlgalPlasticswhenexposedtosand,dirt,saltwater,and
freshwaterforthreeweeks

|
SAND
|
DIRT
|
SALTWATER
|
FRESHWATER
|
Typeof
Plastic

Regular Algal
Plastic
Plastic

Regular Algal
Plastic
Plastic

Regular Algal
Plastic
Plastic

Regular Algal
Plastic
Plastic

Starting 1.4
Mass
(gms)

18.4

1.7

27.5

1.6

12.4

1.4

15.5

1st
Week
(gms)

1.6

4.4

1.4

4.9

1.6

13.4

1.7

16.4

2nd
Week
(gms)

1.7

4.1

1.5

4.2

1.5

3.7

1.4

16.5

3rd
Week
(gms)

1.6

3.5

1.6

1.9

1.7

2.3

1.4

13.3

%
change
ofmass

+14.3%

86.4%

5.9%

93.1%

6.3%

81.5%

0%

14.2%


Qualitativedata

1. Thealgalplasticsatweek1insaltandfreshwaterarebreakingapart.Astheyarepickedupto
mass,weneededtomakesurewecollectedallthepieces.ThiswastruewhethertheAlgal
plasticwasinsaltorfreshwater,Therewasnosuchchangeintheregularplastic.

2.Thealgalplasticsatweek1inthedirtandsandwerehardening.Accordingtodatatable1these
plasticslostsignificantmass.76%lossinsandand82.1%inthedirt.

3.Duringweeks2and3thealgalplasticsinbothsaltandfreshwatercontinuedtobreakapart
makingitdifficulttocollectallthepieces.Bytheendofthethirdweektherewasan81.5%
lossofmassinsaltwateranda14.2%lossofmassinfreshwater.Therewasnosignificant
lossofmassfortheregularplasticineitherthesaltwaterorfreshwaterandnopiecesto
collectinordertodeterminetheirmass.Theregularplasticwasasintactinstructureasthe
dayweputtheminthesaltandfreshwater.

4.Thealgalplasticsbytheendofthethirdweekhadlostsignificantmass.Eightysixpoint
fourpercent(86.4%)inthesandandninetythreepointonepercent(93.1%)inthedirt.In
additionthesetwoplasticswerehardened,butcouldbepulledapartasisevidenceintable
2(Stresstest)

ResultsandAnalysisofMassesofPlasticvsAlgalPlasticExperiment1

AlgalPlastic

1. Thealgalplasticsatweek1insaltandfreshwaterarebreakingapart.Astheyarepicked
uptomass,weneededtomakesurewecollectedallthepieces.Thiswastruewhetherthe
Algalplasticwasinsaltorfreshwater.Therewasnosuchchangeintheregularplastic.

2. TheAlgalplasticsatweek1inthedirtandsandwerehardening.Accordingtodatatable
1theseplasticslostsignificantmass.76%lossinsandand82.1%inthedirt.

3. TheAlgalplasticsbecamehardenedinbothsandanddirtandlostthegreatpercentageof
masspartiallyduetotheabsorptionofwaterintheproductintothesandanddirt.The
algalplasticswereplacedinahypertonicenvironmentcausingthewaterinthealgal

plastictomoveintosand/dirtenvironment.Thislossofwatercausedthehardening
observedduringthethreeweektimeperiod.

4. Initiallythealgalplasticyokesgainedmassafterthefirstweek.Thisobservationcanbe
explainedbyosmosis.Theenvironmentswerehypotonictothealgalplasticcausing
watertoenterintothealgalplasticmaterial.Howeveritwasobservedthatinboth
environmentsthealgalplasticyokeshadstartedtobreakapart.Bytheendofthethree
weekperiodoftestingalgalyokesinbothenvironmentshadlostmass,andcontinuedto
breakintosmallerandsmallerpieces.

RegularPlastic

1. Theregularplasticyokesgained14%massinsandandlostabout6%massindirt.This
wasnotasignificantlossorgainswhencomparedtothealgalplastic.

2. Theregularplasticyokesgainedmassinsaltwaterandhada0%changeinmassinfresh
water.Thisdatacouldbeskewedduetofailuretoremoveallmoisturefromtheyoke.
3. Therewasnoevidenceofbreakingdownorbreakingapart.Theseplasticyokesremained
intactthroughoutthethree(3)weeksoftheexperiment.

EXPERIMENT2

ExperimentaldesignforExperiment2

ProblemQuestion:
Doesthebioplastichavethesametensilestrengthasregularplasticyokes?

Hypothesis:
Ifalgalplasticstensilestrengthiscomparedtoregularplasticyokes,thenthe
tensilestrengthofthealgalplasticswillbeequaltoorgreaterthanthetensilestrengthofregular
plasticyokes.

Independentvariable:
Thetwotypesofplastic(algalplasticandregularplasticyokes)
Dependentvariable:
Thetensilestrengthmeasuredinnewtonsofbothplastics.

Controls:
UseofPascoforcesensorinstrumentPascodatacollectionsoftwaresame
individualdoingthepullingoftheplasticstoensureconstantpullingforce.

Experimentaldesign:

1. TurnonthecomputerwiththePASCOsoftwareinstalled.

2. PlugthePASCOforcesensorintotheUSBconnectorandtheUSBconnectiontothe
USBportonthecomputer.
3. Whentheprogramisfinishedloading,clickonDataStudio
4. Gatherthematerialsbeingtested:normalplasticyokepiecesandthehardened(indirt)
algalplastics
5. Usingthehookontheforcesensor,connectaregularpieceofplastic6cmlongtothe
hook.
6. Pressthestartbuttonontheupperlefthandsideofthescreen.
7. Pullontheattachedplasticwithasteady,consistentforceuntiltheplasticbreaks.
8. Repeat2moretimeswiththeregularplasticofthesamedimension.
9. Repeatsteps58,replacingtheregularplasticwitha6cmpieceofalgalplastic.
10. Savethetestresultsusingthefile:saveas:namethetestandsavetothedesktop.
11. Graphthedata
12. Analyzetheresults.

Table#1ofExperiment2
TensileStrengthofAlgalPlasticsinDirt

Time
(seconds)
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7

Force
(newtons)
2.7
2.8
3.4
2.9
1.4
0.6
1.5
3.7
2.5
6.3
5.5
7.7
8
4.9
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7

Time
(seconds)
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7

Force
(newtons)
2.3
6.4
12.4
14.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7

Time
(seconds)
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7

Force
(newtons)
3.6
3.7
3.2
4
3.8
3.3
3.1
3.4
3.2
3.4
3.1
3.7
3.9
3.8
3
0.6
1.8
4.3

1.8
1.9
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5

4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7

1.8
1.9

4.7
4.7

1.8
1.9
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5

4.5
4.6
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7

Graph#1ofExperiment2
TensileStrengthofAlgalPlasticsinDirt

GraphKey:
BlueLineFirstTrial
RedLineSecondTrial
GreenLineThirdTrial

Table#2ofExperiment2
TensileStrengthofAlgalPlasticinSand

Time(secs) Force(N)
0
3.3
0.1
3.2

Time(sec)
0
0.1

Force(N)
3.2
3.1

Time(sec)
1.6
1.7

Force(N)
4.7
4.8

0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5

3.4
3.3
2
0.2
3.3
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7

0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2

2.8
2.9
1.3
0.8
1.3
6.1
6.5
7.3
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7

Graph#2ofExperiment2
TensileStrengthofAlgalPlasticinSand

0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4

4.8
4.8
3.8
1.5
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7

GraphKey:
BlueLineFirstTrial
RedLineSecondTrial
GreenLineThirdTrial

Time(sec)
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4

Table#3Experiment2
TensileStrengthofRegularPlasticYokes

Force(N) Time(sec) Force(N) Time(sec)

2.2
0
3.3
0
2.5
0.1
3.3
0.1
4.7
0.2
3
0.2
23.5
0.3
1
0.3
21.4
0.4
1.4
0.4
23.4
0.5
6.8
0.5
27.9
0.6
11.4
0.6
31.9
0.7
20.1
0.7
35.2
0.8
18.2
0.8
38.2
0.9
22.1
0.9
41.4
1
25.6
1
42.9
1.1
28.7
1.1
47
1.2
33.8
1.2
48.9
1.3
37.4
1.3
49.4
1.4
42.8
1.4
49.4
1.5
45.5
1.5
49.4
1.6
47.4
1.6
49.4
1.7
49.2
1.7
49.4
1.8
49.4
1.8
49.4
1.9
49.4
1.9
49.4
2
49.4
2
49.4
2.1
49.4
2.1
49.4
2.2
49.4
2.2
49.4
2.3
49.4
2.3
49.4
2.4
49.4
2.4

Force(N)
3.7
3.9
3.4
0
5.9
14.1
22.3
28.9
36.6
43.2
46.7
49.4
49.4
49.4
49.4
49.4
49.4
49.4
49.4
49.4
49.4
49.4
49.4
49.4
49.4

Graph#3forExperiment2
TensileStrengthofRegularPlasticYokes

GraphKey:
BlueLineFirstTrial
RedLineSecondTrial
GreenLineThirdTrial

ResultsandAnalysisofExperiment2

Thedatawecollectedduringthetensilestrengthtest,doesnotsupportthehypothesis.
AccordingtothedataforTensileStrengthAlgalPlasticinSandandTensilestrengthofAlgal
PlasticinDirt,theprototypeplasticdidnothaveatensilestrengthequalorgreaterthanthe
tensilestrengthofregularplastic.Thealgalplasticbrokeinashorterperiodoftimeandwith
lessforcethantheregular.Onaverage,ourprototypeagalplasticinsandbrokeinanaverageof
0.7secondswithanaverageof6newtonsofforce.Thealgalplasticindirtbrokeinanaverage
of0.3secondswithanaverage8newtonsofforce.Theregularplasticbrokein1.3secondswith
anaverageof90newtonsofforce.Evidenceforthisdataisincludedinthethree(3)datatables
andgraphsfoundearlierinthisdocument.Thedatahelpedustounderstandthatourplastic
needstobeimprovedinthetensilestrengthaspectofitsdesign.Inadditiongreaterinsightinto

howmuchstrongerourplasticneedstobeinordertocompeteagainsttheregularplasticof
todaywasgained.

Furthertestingofthetensilestrengthofthealgalplasticsdriedoutinbothsandanddirtwould
providemoreaccurate,comprehensivedataandwouldincreasethevalidityofourtests.The
taskwouldnowtobefind,addandtestanenvironmentallyfriendlystrengtheningchemicalto
increasethetensilestrengthofthisalgalplastic.Thiswouldbethenextstepinourinvestigation.