CHE 025: Chemistry for Engineers
Student Activity # 12
Name: ___________________________________________________________ Class number:
_______
Section: ____________ Schedule:
_____________________________________ Date:
_______________
Lesson Title: Removing Impurities of Swamp Water Materials: pencil, manual of experiment,
ball pen
Learning Targets:
At the end of the module, students will be able to:
References: Office of Water (4606M)
Discuss the processes of removing impurities • EPA 816-F-04-021 • 06/2004 •
of swamp water that make it look and smell bad. [Link]/safewater
I. Background
Water in lakes, rivers and swamps often contains impurities that make it look and smell bad.
The water may also contain bacteria and other microbiological organisms that can cause disease.
Consequently, water from most surface sources must be “cleaned” before it can be consumed by
people. Water treatment plants typically clean water by taking it through the following processes: 1)
aeration 2) coagulation 3) sedimentation 4) filtration, and 5) disinfection.
The first four of the processes will be performed in this activity. The final step of the treatment
which is the addition of disinfectant is not included in this experiment. The water that will be produce
in this activity is therefore still unfit for drinking and can cause adverse effects. It is not safe to drink.
II. Materials Needed
5 liters of “swamp water (or add 2 ½ cups of dirt or mud to 5 liters of water)
1 liter plastic soft drink bottles with its cap (or cork that fits lightly into the neck)
2 liter plastic soft drink bottles, one with its bottom cut off and one with the top cut off
1 large beaker (2 cups) or measuring bowl that will hold the inverted two liter bottle or you can use
another two liter plastic soft drink bottle with its top cut off so the other bottle will fit inside of it.
2 tablespoonful of alum(potassium aluminium sulphate available in spice isle at grocery stores.
1 ½ cups fine sand/white play sand or beach sand)
1 ½ cups coarse sand(multi-purpose sand)
1 cup small pebbles ( washed, natural color aquarium rocks work best)
1 coffee filter
1 rubber band
1 large spoon( for stirring)
Learning Modules by PHINMA Education is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
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1
CHE 025: Chemistry for Engineers
Student Activity # 12
Name: ___________________________________________________________ Class number:
_______
Section: ____________ Schedule:
_____________________________________ Date:
_______________
A clock with a second hand or a stopwatch
III. Procedure
1. Pour the “Swamp Water” into the two liter bottle with a cap. Describe the appearance and
smell of the water.
2. Place the cap on the bottle and aerate the swamp water by vigorously shaking the bottle for 30
seconds. Shaking will add air to water and allow gases trapped in the water to escape.
3. Continue the aeration process by pouring the water into another bottle or beaker, then pouring
the water back and forth between them about 10 times. Once aerated, gases have escaped
(bubbles should be gone). Pour the aerated water into the bottle with its top cut off.
3. Add two tablespoons of alum to the aerated water. Slowly stir the mixture for 5 minutes.
Particles can be seen in the water clinging together to make larger clumps. This process of
adding alum by which dirt and other suspended solid particles chemically “stick together” into
flocs (clumps of alum and sediment) so they can easily be removed from water is known as
coagulation.
4. Allow the water to stand undisturbed in the cylinder. Observe the water at 5 minute intervals for
a total of 20 minutes. Write down what you see - what is the appearance of the water now? At
a treatment plant, there are settling beds that collect flocs that floats to the bottom, allowing
the clear water to be drained from the top of the bed and continue through the process. This
process is called sedimentation in which gravity pulls the particles of flocs to the bottom of the
cylinder.
5. Construct a filter from the bottle with its bottom cut off as follows (see illustration below):
a. Attach the coffee filter to the outside neck of the bottle with a rubber band. Turn the bottle
upside down placing it in a beaker or cut-off bottom of a two liter bottle.
b. Pour a layer of pebbles into the bottle - the filter will prevent the pebbles from falling out of
the neck.
c. Pour the coarse sand on top of the pebbles.
d. Pour the fine sand on top of the coarse sand.
e. Clean the filter by slowly and carefully pouring through 3 L (or more) of clean tap water.
Learning Modules by PHINMA Education is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
2
CHE 025: Chemistry for Engineers
Student Activity # 12
Name: ___________________________________________________________ Class number:
_______
Section: ____________ Schedule:
_____________________________________ Date:
_______________
Try not to disturb the top layer of sand as you pour the water.
6. After a large amount of sediment have settled on the bottom of the bottle of swamp water,
carefully - without disturbing the sediment - pour the top two-thirds of the swamp water
through the filter. Collect the filtered water in the beaker. Pour the remaining (one-third bottle)
of swamp water back into the collection container. Compare the treated and untreated water.
Filtration through a sand and pebble filter removes most of the impurities remaining in water
after coagulation and sedimentation have taken place.
Set -up
Fine Sand
Coarse Sand
Pebbles
Beaker
Coffee Filter
Learning Modules by PHINMA Education is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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CHE 025: Chemistry for Engineers
Student Activity # 12
Name: ___________________________________________________________ Class number:
_______
Section: ____________ Schedule:
_____________________________________ Date:
_______________
Worksheet No. 12
Removing Impurities of Swamp Water
Observation and Result
1. Describe the appearance and smell of the swamp water.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
2. What is the appearance of the water in Step 4?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
3. Compare the treated and untreated water.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Conclusion:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Learning Modules by PHINMA Education is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
4
CHE 025: Chemistry for Engineers
Student Activity # 12
Name: ___________________________________________________________ Class number:
_______
Section: ____________ Schedule:
_____________________________________ Date:
_______________
_____________________________________________________________________
Learning Modules by PHINMA Education is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
5