Groundwater Pollution Lab
Name: _______________________________________
Group Number_____________
PURPOSE: To demonstrate how water infiltration can carry pollutants underground
MATERIALS:








containers with holes in the bottom
“catching” containers
food coloring
paper towel
water container
soil samples
stop watch
calculator
PROCEDURE:
1) Add 3-5 drops of food coloring in your water container and mix
2) Start to slowly pour 250ml of water sample into the soil sample
3) Start the stop watch when the water hits the soil sample and stop the watch when
approximately half of the fluid has passed through the soil
4) Record your time in the chart below and draw a corresponding sketch
Group #
Soil Type
Time
Discussion Questions
1) What does the food coloring in the water represent? (some form of contaminant)
2) What does the ‘water pouring’ represent? (rain fall or initial “spill”, introduction of the
contaminant)
3) When you poured the coloured water through the soil did all of the water reach the
second container? Did any colour stay behind in the soil? Why? (Some should remain
in the spaces between soil particles and stored as groundwater, may be filtered during
subsequent rain fall events)
4) Can you relate this experiment to real world situations? What could the second
container represent? (an aquifer, lake, water reservoir) What could this represent in
New Brunswick?
5) What human activities on the surface have effects upon groundwater quality in New
Brunswick? (mining, agriculture, industry)
6) What kinds of pollutants might come from common household products? (phosphorous
from detergents, acids, etc)
7) List five other sources of groundwater pollution not previously mentioned.
Assessment Rubric:
Possible points (
/20)
3
Element
Professional Quality
Acceptable
Lacking effort
Unacceptable
Title page and
Overall
Neatness and
Organization
Title page is complete
All sections were
Labeled, presentation
is neat and legible,
considerable effort is
evident
Title page is complete
Effort evident, some
sections not labeled,
generally legible and
neat
No Title page included,
poor quality and effort,
sloppy
3pts
Element was
complete, accurate,
and informative
2pts
Element was accurate
but lacking in
completeness and
information
4-5pts
Answers lacking some
detail but accurate
and consisting of
complete sentences
and paragraphs,
having greater than 3
spelling
/grammar errors.
5-7pts
Title Page is
included, but is
incomplete
Minimal effort, no
sections are
labeled, somewhat
legible
1 pts
Element poorly
or sloppily
prepared.
2-3pts
Answers given in
incomplete
sentences with
poor spelling
/grammar.
1-0pts
Answers not
present or
inaccurate and
poorly written
2-4pts
0-1pts
7
Results/data
presentation
10
Discussion/Conclusion
6-7pts
Detailed answer to all
questions,
consisting of
complete sentences
and paragraphs.
Less than 3 spelling
/grammar errors
8-10pts
0 pts
Element not
Included