Year 7 Chemistry
Water Filtration
Last updated 4 March 2019
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This page has been created to support Year 7 Science students with their task “When is water safe to drink?”
Don’t forget to use the following indicators to select the best level of resource for you.
Easy to understand
Neither too easy or too difficult
More challenging to read and understand
Click on the level you need to work at for each question.
Note: All resources listed on this page can be accessed in full – even the books.
Glossary
Before you start make sure you know some important words that you may come across.
Absorbent
A material that can easily soak up liquid.
Bacteria
Microscopic single cell organisms that live just about everywhere. Some can cause disease.
Contaminant
A polluting or poisonous substance that makes something impure.
Filter
A device used to remove unwanted parts from something.
Filtrate
The substance left after it has been passed through a filter.
Filtration
Filtration is a process by which impurities or particles are removed from a liquid.
Mixture
Particle
A tiny piece of something.
Potable
Any liquid suitable for drinking.
Protozoan
Protozoans are simple organisms, or living things. They belong to a group of organisms called protists, which are neither plants nor animals. Most protozoans are so tiny that they can be seen only with a microscope.
Pure substance
A pure substance is a substance that cannot be separated by physical means. eg. filtration, evaporation, distillation or chromatography. Examples of pure substances include water, gold, glucose, carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrogen.
Turbidity
Turbidity is a cloudiness or haziness of water (or other liquid) caused by individual particles that are too small to be seen without magnification, thus being much like smoke in air.
1. List what is in the water that should be removed
Easy
Parker, N. (2018). Hurricane Florence: can you get sick from floodwater?. Retrieved from https://www.ajc.com/news/world/scary-infectious-illnesses-you-can-catch-from-floodwater/AfZS9Vl1iwREMa68nHMTkL/
Medium
Department of Health. (n.d.). Cryptosporidium infection. Retrieved from https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Cryptosporidiosis
TomoNews US. (2018, September 17). Diseases lurking in Hurricane Florence flood waters [ Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-XxUbSedB8
Utah State University. (n.d.). Homemade water purifier. Retrieved from https://extension.usu.edu/waterquality/files-ou/Lesson-Plans/Homemade-water-purifier.pdf
Challenging
Saleh, N. (2018). The spread of waterborne illnesses. Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-you-should-know-about-waterborne-illnesses-4151851
2. Explore what sort of materials are commonly used in water filters – what role do each of the materials play?
Medium
Department of Health. (n.d.). Water filters for your home. Retrieved from https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/U_Z/Water-filters-for-your-home
What is activated charcoal and why is it used in filters?. (2000). Retrieved from https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/question209.htm
Challenging
Woodford, C. (2018). Water filters. Retrieved from https://www.explainthatstuff.com/howwaterfilterswork.html
3. Select three common household materials that could be used in a water filter. Predict which of the materials would be most effective at removing the different types of particles in your dirty water. Discuss your reasoning for your prediction.
Easy
Michaud, K. (n.d.). Homemade water filter science project. Retrieved from https://science.lovetoknow.com/science-fair-projects/homemade-water-filter-science-project
Planet Science. (n.d.). Can you clean water?. Retrieved from http://www.planet-science.com/categories/experiments/chemistry-chaos/2012/07/can-you-clean-water.aspx
SAWBO. (2014, November 21). Charcoal water filtration in English [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsaBIOrjvW4
Medium
Robb, A. (n.d.). Water filtration science project. Retrieved from Study.com
Utah State University. (n.d.). Homemade water purifier. Retrieved from https://extension.usu.edu/waterquality/files-ou/Lesson-Plans/Homemade-water-purifier.pdf
Challenging
Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2017, September 11). Fractional distillation definition and examples. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-fractional-distillation-604421
Hydrocarbons. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mcvts.net/cms/lib07/nj01911694/centricity/domain/136/chap21.pdf
References
Water [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cwmr.co.za/home/water/
Water corporation. (n.d.). Make a simple water filter. Retrieved from https://www.watercorporation.com.au/home/education/teaching-resources/find-a-lesson-plan/lesson-plan/make-a-simple-water-filter