Permeability Materials Experiment: What Trickles Down?
Materials of differing permeability must be used to control the flow of liquids in a landfill.Copyright Savanannah River Site, Westinghouse Savannah River Company http://sti.srs.gov/fulltext/ms9900729r1/ms9900729r1.html
Permeability is the degree to which water or other liquids are able to flow through a material. Different substances such as soil, gravel, sand and asphalt have varying levels of permeability. In this activity, students explore different levels of permeability and compare the permeabilities of several different materials. They also are introduced to the basic concepts of building design, landscape architecture and environmental pollutant transport. As an extension, they discuss the importance of correct drainage and urban design issues in sensitive environments such as coastal areas.
Environmental and civil engineers consider the permeability of the ground around major construction projects when designing drainage systems. Carefully planned systems can reduce pollution due to runoff and prevent flooding. Closely related to this, during this activity, students experiment with the material property of permeability and discuss applications for materials that are more permeable and less permeable.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Identify different materials based on their level of permeability.
- Identify and explain which materials (permeable vs. impermeable) are better for development or agriculture in various settings (urban vs. rural, coastal vs. inland) and why.