Response ships trying to extinguish the fire on the
oil rig Deepwater Horizon in 2010
Oil Spill Clean-Up Scientific Investigation
Before you begin the scientific investigation below, make sure to download the Oil Spill Clean-Up Scientific Investigation Report. As you complete this scientific investigation, fill in any needed information on the report template. If you need more information about each section of the report, please visit the Developmental Module.
This scientific investigation is available below or in a printable version.
Introduction
An oil spill occurs when oil is released into the ocean by tankers, drilling equipment, natural oil seeps, or other sources. In marine environments, oil spills can take weeks, months, or years to clean up, depending on the severity of the spill, the temperature of the water, and the location of the spill. Government response teams, private industry, and scientists have devised many ways to control the spread of oil and to clean it up after an oil spill occurs. Some of these methods include:
In this scientific investigation, you will create your own oil spill and then use a variety of methods and materials to clean up and/or contain the spilled oil.
Objectives
In this scientific investigation, you will:
Hypothesis
Using the Procedure and Data Collection section below, read through the procedural information for this scientific investigation. Based on your understanding of the procedure, develop your own hypotheses which describe your expected results. Record these hypotheses in the Hypothesis section of your Oil Spill Clean-Up Scientific Investigation Report.
Equipment and Materials
Procedure and Data Collection
Data
Use the table provided on your Oil Spill Clean-Up Scientific Investigation Report to record your data from this scientific investigation. The data table is also shown below:
Method | Time (Minutes) | Cost/Minute | Total Cost (Minutes x Cost/Minute) |
Booms (Straws) | $25.00 | ||
Skimmers (Medicine Dropper) | $75.00 | ||
Sorbents (Cotton Balls) | $50.00 | ||
Chemical Agent (Detergent) | $25.00 |
Data Analysis
In the Data Analysis section of your Oil Spill Clean-Up Scientific Investigation Report, provide responses to the following questions:
Conclusion
Using the Conclusion section of your Oil Spill Clean-Up Scientific Investigation Report, compose three to four sentences describing an overall conclusion based on your data. Were your hypotheses true or false, and how do you know? Use the data and notes that you collected from your investigation to form your conclusion. Make sure that you include information that you gained from data analysis to support your conclusion.
Experimental Sources of Error
On your Oil Spill Clean-Up Scientific Investigation Report, provide responses to the following questions: Are there any sources of error? If so, what are they, and what could be done to minimize error?
Once you have completed the Oil Spill Clean-Up Scientific Investigation Report, please submit your work to the dropbox.