This is a simple activity for kids, that help them learn about water purification process and how it is carried out. This could work as one of the best summer engaging activity for kids, as they not only make the water filter right from scratch, but understand and learn science. The making of water filter with this activity is easy and the kids will have lot of fun making it. The wonders of science can be learned through such simple techniques. The technique is pretty simple and kids can carry on themselves, with adult supervision.
Pet bottle - 1(2 liter capacity)
Gravel
Activated charcoal
Cotton ball
Dirty water
With the help of an adult, cut the bottle in half. Put the bottle upside down resembling a funnel inside the bottom half. This is what the use is - the bottom half would work as the collector of the filtered water and the top half will be where we build the filter.
Place a thick layer of cotton ball inside the filter, i.e. the top half of the bottle. Now continue to add one layer of thick crust of activated charcoal on the cotton ball.
Place the third layer of gravel on the sand. Lightly shake the filter, so that all the layers are fixed firmly in their place. Your filter is ready.
Pour the dirty water through this filter. You can make your own dirty water by adding bits of paper, small leaves, little mud or dirt in the water. Once you pour this dirty water in the filter, wait for the filtration process to happen. Do not pour all the dirty water, but keep some as a specimen which you can compare later with the filtered water.
You will soon see that once the water starts moving through all the layers, it gets much cleaner than before.
Gather all the filtered water and compare it with the dirty water you have kept. You will notice the difference in both the water.
Activated charcoal is often used in the water purification process, mostly in commercial water filters. As the water travels through each layer of the filter, the dirt gets stuck in each layer. The bigger pieces of dirt like paper bits, get stuck on the first layer. The small pieces pass through the first layer but get stuck in the charcoal layer. The cotton ball layer gets rid of the fine dirt and the result you get is the filtered water.
If you do not have activated charcoal, make use of sand. Add a thick crust of sand instead of charcoal on the cotton ball layer.
Materials Required For Making a Water Filter
Pet bottle - 1(2 liter capacity)
Gravel
Activated charcoal
Cotton ball
Dirty water
Method for Making a Water Filter
1
With the help of an adult, cut the bottle in half. Put the bottle upside down resembling a funnel inside the bottom half. This is what the use is - the bottom half would work as the collector of the filtered water and the top half will be where we build the filter.
2
Place a thick layer of cotton ball inside the filter, i.e. the top half of the bottle. Now continue to add one layer of thick crust of activated charcoal on the cotton ball.
3
Place the third layer of gravel on the sand. Lightly shake the filter, so that all the layers are fixed firmly in their place. Your filter is ready.
4
Pour the dirty water through this filter. You can make your own dirty water by adding bits of paper, small leaves, little mud or dirt in the water. Once you pour this dirty water in the filter, wait for the filtration process to happen. Do not pour all the dirty water, but keep some as a specimen which you can compare later with the filtered water.
5
You will soon see that once the water starts moving through all the layers, it gets much cleaner than before.
6
Gather all the filtered water and compare it with the dirty water you have kept. You will notice the difference in both the water.
How it Works
Activated charcoal is often used in the water purification process, mostly in commercial water filters. As the water travels through each layer of the filter, the dirt gets stuck in each layer. The bigger pieces of dirt like paper bits, get stuck on the first layer. The small pieces pass through the first layer but get stuck in the charcoal layer. The cotton ball layer gets rid of the fine dirt and the result you get is the filtered water.
Tip
If you do not have activated charcoal, make use of sand. Add a thick crust of sand instead of charcoal on the cotton ball layer.
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