Product Testing Laboratory
Memo from Blubbenbacher Paper Products, Inc.
0. Blubbenbacher Paper Products, Inc
To: Ms. Smith CEO of Chem Industries
• Our quality control department is being moved to a different location and
will not be able to handle any projects for a few weeks. It has come to our
attention that IPC Industries at Klein Forest High School has acquired an
excellent reputation as a problem solving chemistry laboratory facility
and we would like you to conduct the following investigation for us:
• The sales of our primary product "Paper Towel" seems to be losing
market share and a number of seemingly unknown brands are creating
serious competition. Please, conduct the following research:
– 1.) Determine how much water content our brand can hold and
compare it to the competitors' brands.
– 2.) Correlate the paper strength with density and water content.
• Samples of our brand as well as the competitor's brands are included.
We look forward to your test results and report.
•
• Sincerely yours,
• O. Blubbenbacher
•
0.Blubbenbacher, C.E.O.
IntraLab memo -Chem Industries, Klein
Forest High School
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•
•
As you can see from the attached letter, we have been given the
contract to investigate potential quality parameters of several brands
of paper towel. I would like each of you to get into your work groups
and brainstorm on the following two ideas:
– 1) How can we determine how much water content our brand can
hold and compare it to the competitors' brands?
– 2) What lab method can you devise to implement your proposal?
Since you have previously determined and measuring absorbency
and paper strength should be a straight-forward procedure. After
coming up with a working hypothesis, and a plan for testing that
hypothesis, please show both to me. At that point your group will be
given adequate samples of the various products to collect your data.
Feel free to share data with other work groups.
PreLab Activities: In your laboratory notebook each work group will
submit a report which should include the following sections:
– 1. Initial Working Hypothesis.
– 2. Initial Working Plan.
– 3. Your Data Table
Assignment
• Each person will submit a formal
laboratory report to Ms. Smith.
Each Group will submit a letter of
response directed to the client
outlining what you did, what you
found, and how this addresses
the question proposed by the
client.
Investigation Problem: Which
brand is the better paper towel?
• Background Information: (What do you already
know about the absorbency and strength of paper
towel?) See if you can find information about how
much liquid a typical paper towel should hold. How
much liquid can a paper towel actually hold?
• Hypothesis: Hypothesis must be testable
• Materials: List all materials and equipment
necessary to carry out the experiment.
• Procedure: List procedures in order. Design an
investigation to measure which paper towel can
absorb the greatest amount of liquid. Record your
procedure in your Journal.
• Data table: (Have this set up so that you can easily
record all data collected during the experiment)
• Analyze your data.
Evaluation
• Write your conclusion in a letter
which should have the following
information: Restate and answer
your hypothesis, briefly write about
the procedure, and summarize your
data. Answer the following questions
in your conclusion:
• Was your hypothesis correct? If not,
how could the experiment be
changed to retest the problem? What
may be some sources of error?