Pollution and Conservation Demonstrations

See also: Sustainability

Pollution and conservation activities highlight the effects of human activity on the environment and the steps that can protect it. They are effective because they connect science with urgent, real-world problems students can see around them.

Demonstration	Materials	Difficulty	Safety	Summary
Bread Model of Ground Pollution	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	This experiment uses slices of bread and food coloring to simulate how pollutants seep into the ground after rainfall. Students can observe how different amounts of precipitation affect the spread and depth of pollution in porous layers.
Burning Sulfur to Simulate Acid Rain	★★☆	★★☆	★★☆	Sulfur is burned in air to form sulfur dioxide gas, which dissolves in water. The dissolved gas produces sulfurous acid, lowering the pH and turning universal indicator solution red to simulate acid rain.
Distribution of Earth’s Water	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	Cups and measured amounts of water are used to visually represent how much of Earth’s water is salt water compared to fresh water, and how the fresh water is further divided among glaciers, groundwater, and surface water.
Cleaning Water With Flocculation	★★☆	★★☆	★☆☆	Students clean real pond or river water using two flocculants, aluminum sulfate and a polymer clarifier. They compare how stirring and lowering pH with lemon juice affect how fast particles clump and settle.
Homemade Water Purifier Model	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	Students build a simple water filter using a cut plastic bottle and layers of materials like sand, gravel, cotton, and activated charcoal. The experiment shows how filters remove impurities from dirty water, though the filtered water is not safe to drink.
Ocean Acidification	★★☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	By blowing air through water containing a pH indicator, students can observe how dissolved carbon dioxide lowers the pH of water, demonstrating the process of ocean acidification.
Oil Spill Cleanup	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	This demonstration models an oil spill in water using vegetable oil. Students explore how oil floats on water, test different cleanup methods, and learn how dish soap helps break up oil.
Paper Recycling	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	This activity and explanation show how paper is recycled, both industrially and at home. Paper fibers can be broken down into pulp, cleaned, and re-formed into new paper products, reducing the need for tree harvesting and helping conserve natural resources.

Materials
★☆☆ Easy to get from supermarket or hardware store
★★☆ Available in most school laboratories or specialist stores
★★★ Requires materials not commonly found in school laboratories

Difficulty
★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
★★☆ Available in most school laboratories or specialist stores
★★★ Requires a more experienced teacher

Safety
★☆☆ Minimal safety procedures required
★★☆ Some safety precautions required to perform safely
★★★ Only to be attempted with adequate safety procedures and trained staff