Name_________________________________ Date______________________ Hour_____
Paper Towel Absorption Lab
This BONUS LAB is worth 50 points!
YOU HAVE 2 MORNINGS TO COMPLETE THIS LAB.
***DUE DATE IS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26 at the beginning of your class period
Step One: Identify the Problem/Question (5 pts): Many brands of
paper towels claim that they can pick up the most amount of liquid. How do we
determine which paper towel is most effective?
PROBLEM:
Research: Since paper towels are used to pick up liquids, the volume of liquid it can
absorb is important. Along with price, the ability to clean up a mess with ease is an
important selling feature for consumers. The amount of liquid a towel can absorb
can be measured by the volume of liquid it picks up.
Materials: If there is anything that is not on the materials list that your
team needs, please inform your instructor.
 3 types of paper towels
 Ruler
 scissors
 Dropper
 50 mL graduated cylinder
 forceps
 250 mL beaker
Identify the Variables
(5 pts)
Independent Variable [what you will change, or the difference between the
groups] Identify the brands to be tested.
Brand A
Brand B
Brand C
Dependent Variable [what you will observe and measure, the data that you will collect]
Name_________________________________ Date______________________ Hour_____
Controls: list at least 3 variables that will remain constant (not change) throughout the
experiment.
Step Two: Write a Hypothesis (5 pts)
Write a HYPOTHESIS below that shows the expected relationship between the variables.
Use an IF_____________, THEN_______________ statement. (You and your team
members may or may not have the same hypothesis.)
HYPOTHESIS:
Step Three: Procedure
1. Tear off a piece of one brand of paper towel along the perforated edge. Using a
ruler and scissors, measure and cut strips of each paper towel (12 cm by 28 cm).
2. Cut those samples into 6 strips – each will be 4 cm by 14 cm. Keep each brand
separate so they are not mixed together and confused.
3. Fill a graduated cylinder with 50 mL of water.
4. Pour the water into the empty beaker.
5. Put one of the paper towel strips in the water.
6. Allow the paper towel to become completely saturated with water.
7. Take the paper towel out of water. Hold over beaker until it has stopped dripping.
8. Pour the remaining water back into the graduated cylinder and measure the
remaining water level. (estimate to nearest 0.1 mL)
9. Subtract how much water remaining in the beaker from 50mL. This will tell you how
much water the paper towel absorbed.
10. Record your data in the data table.
11. Repeat 2 more times and average your trials.
12. Repeat steps 3-11 for the other 2 brands of paper towels.
Name_________________________________ Date______________________ Hour_____
Step Four: Record and ANALYZE your data. (10 pts)
DATA TABLE TITLE: _________________________________
(will also match graph’s title)
volume of
water (mL)
Brand A - ______
Brand B - _____
Brand C - _____
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Average
Step Five: GRAPH your data. (10 pts)
Your team should choose the best type of graph to display your average volume of
absorption. Use your graphing notes to help you determine the best type of graph to use.
Remember to title your graph, space your data EVENLY and label your variables & units!
Graph Title:____________________________________
Name_________________________________ Date______________________ Hour_____
Step Six: In paragraph form (5+ sentences), neatly write a
CONCLUSION on the bottom of this page. (15 pts)
Use the RERUN method below. Each letter of “RERUN” is, minimum, one sentence.
You have been given the format for the first “R”. As you write it, just fill in the
blanks.
-Restate your hypothesis – “We investigated_____ and I/we believed that if _____, then ____”
-Explain briefly what you did – Summarize your procedure.
-What were your Results? – Results must include your data (qualitative and/or quantitative).
-Uncertainties or problems with the experiment or collection of data – List any sources of error;
this is not a “yes” or “no” answer – there is no such thing as a “perfect” experiment where no
errors occurred. Scientists simply try to minimize these errors to improve on the accuracy of the
data.
-What New questions do you have? – By doing this investigation, what new thoughts or
questions did you or your team develop that could be tested?