Lab Report

Investigation Journal

Speedy Water and Sediments

Name __________________________________________________

School _________________________________________________

Hour __________________________________________________

Question

What is the effect of the speed of water on the accumulation of sediment?

(independent variable)            (dependent variable)

Hypothesis

Materials

1. 20-inch pieces of PCV pipe cut lengthwise
   
   
2. Stop watch or clock with a second hand
   
   
3. Water
   
   
4. Enough sand to fill bottom and sides of box to approximately one half inch thickness
   
   
5. Gallon milk bottles with permanent markers showing the half full line
   
   
6. Electronic balance scales or beam balance scales
   
   
7. Ruler
   
   
8. Plastic plate
   
   
9. Plastic collecting box or sink

Procedure

1. Line the PCV pipe with sand to resemble a river bed. It should be about one-half inch thick.
   
   
2. Using a ruler and textbooks, make a stack of books four inches high and place one end of the pipe on the books and the other end over the plastic plate inside a container or sink. Have members of each group hold the pipe and collecting container securely during lab.
   
   
3. Fill a gallon milk jug half full of water and pour it down the pipe so that it resembles the flow of a river. Hold the mouth of the bottle about one inch above pipe end. Time it so that the bottle is emptied in 90 seconds.
   
   
4. Collect the sand that flows out of the pipe and onto the plate.
   
   
5. Weigh the sand, subtracting the paper plate’s weight.
   
   
6. Repeat steps 1-4 two more times.
   
   
7. Repeat steps 1-5, allowing water to flow for 60 seconds and 30 seconds.

Observations:









Data Table

The effect of the _____________________ on the ____________________

Graph

The effect of the _____________________ on the _________

_______________ ___________ _____________

Conclusions

Possible Errors