Easy⏱ time45 min$ cost5
Oil Spill Cleanup Test
Test which materials best soak up or contain oil floating on water.
Start building ↓
Result first
The build
Step 01
Make a spill
Pour oil onto the water.
Step 02
Try removers
Test each material's pickup.
Step 03
Try a dispersant
Add a drop of soap and observe.
Step 04
Compare
Rank which cleans best.
Working Principle
Oil floats because it's less dense than water; absorbent materials soak it up while soap breaks it into droplets that disperse.
The science behind it
A closer look
Real cleanups use sorbents, booms and dispersants; each has trade-offs for wildlife and water you can observe here.
Take it further
Variables to test
- 1 Which material removes the most oil?
- 2 How does soap affect a feather (a bird's wing)?
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