The natural science of water

We realized we knew how a lot of the objects we had reacted to water, so we decided to figure out unique ways to observe the water by combining a lot of the objects. For example we made a clay pot where we added water and salt to it. We didn’t exactly know what was going to happen with all three objects, but we only predicted that the salt would dissolve in the water. Yet, we were surprised to find out that a lot of the sand attached to the clay pot on the bottom.

So, initially we molded a wall out of clay and we put the wall in the tray; put water on the wall; saw how it adapted to wall; then more water mixed with sand and shake the tray. Straying sand particles flowed with water; a lot of it clumped

In another experiment we molded a wall out of clay.  Once the water was poured near the clay wall we realized the clay acted as a barrier to the water. When sand was added to the water, we shook the tray to see if mass low applied in this situation. Some straying sand particles followed the water in mass flow, while other sand particles clumped together. Cohesion and adhesion apply here; cohesion with the sand particles sticking together and adhesion with the straying particles in water mass flow

                                               

            Our various experiments demonstrated the properties of adhesion, cohesion, and mass flow. When we soaked the sponge up with water the water molecules adhered to the sponge’s surface, and soaked through the whole sponge. But inside the sponge the water is demonstrating cohesion because the molecules are sticking together. Another mini experiment we conducted was making a clay pot, and pouring salt inside. Then we poured water on top, and saw the water in the pot got cloudier as the water was dissolving the salt. Water breaks down salt because the salt has positive ions, and hydrogen has negative ions. Slowly the hydrogen molecules break apart the salt ions, but to have the salt completely dissolve the salt would need to sit in the pot of water for more time. Lastly, we saw mass flow when we poured water on top of a pile of sand because the water moved as one to disperse the sand throughout the plastic tub.

This experiment showed us how water is more powerful than we assumed because even in small doses the water was able to dissolve salt, and adhere to a sponge. Characteristics of water seem invisible when we do not take time to stop and notice, but when we take a closer look we see water’s strengths.