Vibe-Winter-2425 - Flipbook - Page 15
to my house. I challenged myself to build
a water filter with materials I could easily
find. This led to my research question,
“Which types of filter materials will most
effectively purify dirty water?”
I began by figuring out what materials I would test; I chose cotton balls, sand,
moved through the filter layers, the cleaner it became. My most successful filter
had two layers of coffee filters, two layers
of cheesecloth, sand, gravel, pebbles, and
activated carbon. The materials with larger pores took out larger debris, like sticks
and leaves, and materials with smaller
pebbles, cheesecloth, and coffee filters.
After reading about LifeStraws, which are
used by hikers, I decided to add activated
carbon, too. I collected dirty water from
a stream near my house, and tested it
by pouring it through different amounts
and combinations of filter materials. I
recorded my observations of the water’s
appearance and odor after each filtration,
and then adjusted my filtration system.
I also measured the pH of the water
as another way of testing the water’s
cleanliness. I found that my hypothesis
was accurate: If we layer several different
filter materials, then they will naturally
purify dirty water. I found that cotton
balls were the least effective. Coffee filters
and activated carbon were the most
effective. The prototypes that worked the
best had many filtering layers, starting
with filtering out larger materials first
and then smaller particles as the water
drained down. The slower the water
pores filtered out the tiny particles.
Sand is a great filter because it forms
a permeable layer, which means water
can pass through. Sand particles are tiny
and there isn’t a lot of space between the
grains, which means it can catch a lot
of particulates. Activated carbon is very
porous, like a sponge, and is included in
many everyday filters that we use, such
as water pitchers. It also improves the
look, taste, and odor of water, which is
why it is such a popular filter material.
Just like in water treatment plants,
which use many methods and types of
filtration, the best prototype was the one
in which I used many different layers of
various filters that had different pore
sizes. Our clean water gets to our homes
after passing through a combination of
methods and materials. A midnight drink
of water inspired months of research and
experimentation. I will never take access
to clean water for granted!
Just like in water treatment plants, which use many methods and
types of filtration, the best prototype was the one in which I used
many different layers of various filters that had different pore sizes.
Emily Fields “Filter it Out!
Homemade Water Filters.”
I was excited to participate in the MWV
Youth STEM Expo, but coming up with
a project was the hardest part. I started
looking around me and asking myself
questions about things I didn’t understand. One night, I woke up to get a drink
of water and as the water came out of
the faucet, I wondered, “How does clean
water get to my house?” I thought about
all the uses people have for water: showering, cooking, cleaning, and so much
more. The next day, I started researching
my question and learned that there are
many places around the world that still
don’t have access to clean water. This
led me to explore how water treatment
facilities work and how clean water gets
aquariums. I also used a refractometer.
There are two types, one that measures
salinity, and one that measures sugar
content. Sadly, the only one I could access was used for maple sugaring, and
therefore, measured only sugar content.
5.5 on March 10—one day after the
roads were treated with road salt.
This measurement falls outside of the
healthy levels for river organisms. The
site at a medium distance from the road
maintained levels with the 6 range and
At the location closest to the road, the pH declined from 7 in
October, to 5.5 on March 10—one day after the roads were treated
with road salt. This measurement falls outside of the healthy
levels for river organisms.
I then tried boiling my samples to
evaporate the river water and measure
any salty residue left behind. Some salt
was visible to the naked eye, but it was
not measurable with a gram scale.
The data on the pH levels showed
fluctuating pH from fall to winter. At
the location closest to the road, the
pH declined from 7 in October, to
Winter 2024/25
the site farthest from the road had an
increase in pH over the winter.
On the day of the Expo, I was
nervous to present my project since my
findings on salt content were inconclusive, but I learned through this process
that even if an experiment doesn’t work
out as planned, a good scientist can
always learn something.
music on running pace. Many students
drew inspiration from their local environment—studying the natural world in ways
that reflect the unique features of the Mt.
Washington Valley.
The MWV Youth STEM Expo returns on
March 19, 2025, at the Grand Summit Hotel
at Attitash, with nearly 200 student
participants expected to showcase their
creativity and passion for science.
To make this event successful, we need
volunteer judges to inspire and support
our future STEM leaders.
Visit www.MWVSTEMExpo.com for
details on how to sign up. Your expertise
and encouragement could be the spark
that ignites their ambitions—join us in
encouraging the Valley’s next generation
of scientists and engineers.
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