A Slippery Situation: Oil Spill Cleanup and Polarity
Dyed oil added to waterCopyright Authors, Glenbrook South High School, 2023
Students learn about the concept of polarity and mixing through the phenomenon of oil separating from water by simulating an oil spill that demonstrates the impact of these molecular qualities on the environment. In the first part of the activity, students get familiar with the concept of polarity and how it causes oil to float on water through molecular models and demonstrations. The second part entails a simulation of an oil spill in the ocean, where students are given a variety of tools and will engineer their own solutions to clean up the spill through trial and testing. Finally, they discuss the real-world methods used to clean up oil spills, and their impact on the environment.
Oil spills are a common environmental problem for which solutions are still being engineered today. Chemical dispersion (demonstrated by soap in this activity) is a legitimate technique used to clean up oil spills. Oil spills have negative environmental impacts, as oil sinks to the bottom of the ocean and is not removed. Skimming, absorption, and manual removal are techniques used to clean up oil spills on a large scale. Students are able to get a glimpse of the actual design process that goes into solving this environmental issue.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Understand the concept of polarity and polar molecules.
- Explain whether polar and nonpolar molecules mix.
- Discuss the effects of oil spills on the environment.
- Brainstorm solutions to simple environmental issues.