PURPOSE: TO EXTRACT THE AIR FROM EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE.
HYPOTHESIS #1
SINCE STYROFOAM IS 95-97% AIR, IF THE AIR CAN BE TAKEN OUT OF STYROFOAM THE VOLUME CAN BE REDUCED TO THE POINT WHERE IT CAN BE SHIPPED OFF-ISLAND TO BE RECYCLED.
MATERIAL:
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2 PIECES OF STYROFOAM EXACTLY THE SAME SIZE |
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GLASS BEAKER 80 ML |
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LARGE GLASS CANNING JAR |
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TONGS |
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SPOON |
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MASK |
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GLOVES |
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ACETONE |
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TABLE TO RECORD RESULTS |
PROCEDURE:
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MEASURE TWO BLOCKS OF STYROFOAM TO EXACTLY THE SAME SIZE RECORD THE SIZE IN YOUR TABLE |
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BREAK ONE PIECE OF STYROFOAM INTO SMALL PIECES IN A CONTAINER (JAR OR BOX) AND MARK THE SECOND PIECE OF STYROFOAM-CONTROL. |
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PUT ON GLOVES AND MASKS AND OPEN WINDOWS. |
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MEASURE 20ML OF ACETONE INTO THE 80ML GLASS BEAKER. |
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POUR ACETONE INTO THE GLASS CANNING JAR. |
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PUT PIECES OF STYROFOAM INTO THE ACETONE A FEW PIECES AT A TIME. (USE ALL OF THE STYROFOAM IN THE CONTAINER) |
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WHEN ALL THE STYROFOAM IS ABSORBED BY THE ACETONE AND NO LIQUID ACETONE IS VISIBLE PLACE THE LIQUID FOAM IN A GLASS CONTAINER AND FORM IT INTO A RECTANGULAR SHAPE. |
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LEAVE THE FORMED SHAPE TO DRY AND IN 24 HOURS MEASURE THE SIZE OF THE FORMED SHAPE. |
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ENTER MEASUREMENT IN TABLE |
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COMPARE THE SIZE OF THE CONTROL STYROFOAM AND THE FORMED SHAPE BY MEASURING BOTH AND THEN CALCULATING BOTH VOLUME AND RATIO TO ESTABLISH THE PERCENT REDUCTION THAT WAS ACHIEVED. |
LIMITING FACTORS:
FORMING THE DE-AIRED STYROFOAM REQUIRES A SMALL RIGID MOLD-WHICH WE WERE UNABLE TO FIND OR MAKE. WE MADE A MOLD OUT OF TIN FOIL WHICH RESULTED IN A BULLET SHAPED FORM. MEASUREMENTS WERE NOT AS EXACT AS THEY WOULD BE WITH A SOLID MOLD.
RESULTS:
THE STYROFOAM WAS REDUCED IN VOLUME BY A RATIO OF 18:1
SEE TABLE FOR RESULTS
CONCLUSIONS:
AIR CAN BE REMOVED FROM STYROFOAM TO REDUCE THE VOLUME BUT ACETONE IS A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE AND CAN BE HARMFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
I WILL NOW TRY TO FIND AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SUBSTANCE TO REMOVE THE AIR FROM STYROFOAM.
RESULTS OF STYROFOAM EXPERIMENT #1
|
BLOCK |
LENGTH |
WIDTH |
HEIGHT |
VOLUME |
|
CONTROL |
27CM |
4CM |
3CM |
324CCM |
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REDUCED BLOCK |
9 CM |
2 CM |
1CM |
18CCM |
|
RATIO |
27:9 3:1 |
4:2 2:1 |
3:1 |
324:18 18:1 |
TAYLOR HETT
GRADE 8
A.L. MATHERS ELEMENTARY/SECONDARY
ELECTRONIC SCHOOL