Helena Joyce
Making a pollution catcher is a great science experiment for kids. It is easy to make and can be done with readily available materials. A pollution catcher can be used to find out how clean the air is in your home or outside. To make a pollution catcher, you will need a paper plate, petroleum jelly, string or yarn, and a pen or pencil. First, you poke a hole in the paper plate and pull the string through it. Then, you apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly to one side of the plate. Finally, you hang the plate in an area of your choosing and leave it for a few days before retrieving it to examine the particles that have stuck to the plate.
How to Make a Pollution Catcher
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Materials | Paper plate, cardstock paper, index card, petroleum jelly, string, yarn, shoelace |
| Method | Apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly to one side of the paper plate. Poke or punch a hole in the plate and pull the string through. Hang the plate in the desired location (indoors or outdoors) and leave it for a few days to a few months. |
| Results | Particles will be stuck to the pollution catcher, indicating the presence of pollutants in the air. |
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What You'll Learn
Apply petroleum jelly to one side of a paper plate
To make a pollution catcher, you will need a paper plate and petroleum jelly, which can be found at any drug store or corner store. You may also want to use a hole puncher, a pen or pencil, and some string.
Start by poking a hole in the paper plate, in one of the top corners. If you don't have a hole puncher, you can use a pen or pencil to make the hole. Next, on one side of the plate, draw a picture of the earth, or something related to the earth—like the ocean, or an animal. You can use crayons, markers, or stickers to do this.
Now, take a scoop of petroleum jelly and spread it across the other side of the plate. You can use your fingers or a spoon to do this. Make sure to cover every inch of the plate with the jelly. The petroleum jelly will help to catch pollutants in the air.
Once you've covered the plate, your pollution catcher is ready to be hung outside. You can hang it on a tree, in a park, or outside your window. Leave it for a week, two weeks, or even a month, and then take it down. You will notice little black pollutants stuck to the plate.
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Poke a hole in the paper plate and thread string through it
To make a pollution catcher, you'll need a paper plate, some string, and something sharp to poke a hole, like a pen or pencil.
First, take your paper plate and decide where you want to make the hole. Carefully poke a hole through the plate with your pen or pencil. Adult supervision is recommended for this step to ensure safety. Now, take your string and thread it through the hole you've created. You can use yarn or even a shoelace if you don't have string readily available. Ensure the string is long enough for where you plan to hang your pollution catcher. Once the string is threaded, tie a knot to secure the string in place.
Now that your pollution catcher is almost ready, you can add some petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to the plate. This will help to catch pollutants. Take a small amount of petroleum jelly and spread it evenly across the entire surface of the plate. The petroleum jelly will keep the plate sticky, allowing it to capture pollutants effectively.
Finally, decide where you want to hang your pollution catcher. You can hang it outside, in your backyard, or even out of your window. Consider hanging one in a busy area and another in a quieter location to compare the results. Don't forget to write the date and location on the plate before you hang it up. Leave the pollution catcher for a few weeks or months, and then retrieve it to examine the pollutants it has caught.
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Identify where you want to hang your pollution catcher
Once you've made your pollution catcher, it's time to decide where to hang it. This will depend on what you want to learn from the experiment. You could hang your pollution catcher in your backyard, on a tree, or outside your window. If you want to test the air quality in different locations, you can make multiple pollution catchers and hang them in different places, such as in a park or near a busy road.
When hanging your pollution catcher, make sure the string is long enough for the location you've chosen. You can hang it on a tree branch, for example, or from a hook if you're hanging it inside your home. If you're hanging it outside, consider placing it in a spot that is easily accessible so you can check on it without any hassle.
If you want to compare the air quality in two different locations, try to hang your pollution catchers at similar heights and orientations. This will help ensure that any differences in the amount of pollution caught are due to the location rather than the placement of the catcher. You could also take note of the date and location of each catcher to help you identify any patterns in air pollution levels over time.
Remember to seek permission if you plan to hang your pollution catcher in a public space, such as a park or schoolyard. It's also important to be mindful of any potential hazards when choosing a location, especially if you are doing this experiment with children. Avoid hanging the catcher in places where it could pose a risk to others, such as at head height over a busy path.
By hanging your pollution catcher in a thoughtful and deliberate manner, you'll be able to gain valuable insights into the air quality of the chosen location while also ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for yourself and those around you.
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Leave the plate for 3-7 days
Once you've made your pollution catcher, you need to decide where to hang it. You can do this in your home to find out how clean the air is indoors, or you can hang it outside in your yard or another area. It's a good idea to try placing one in a busier area and a quieter area to compare the results. Make sure you write the date and location on the plate or card so you can identify the site later.
Now, leave the plate for 3-7 days. The plates can stay outside for a few months and will remain sticky. After this time, you can retrieve your pollution catcher. You will likely find some particles stuck to the catcher. These are the pollutants that you've caught from the air.
You can now observe the results of your experiment. You might want to consider how the particles affect air quality and our ability to breathe well. You could also think about what the results would be if you performed the experiment in a heavily polluted area, such as a big city.
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Retrieve the plate and observe the particles stuck to the petroleum jelly
After 3 to 7 days, retrieve your pollution catcher plate. You will likely find some particles stuck to the petroleum jelly. The particles are pollutants from the air, and their presence demonstrates how air pollution affects air quality and our ability to breathe well. The plates can be left outside for a few months and will remain sticky.
The number and size of particles will depend on the level of pollution in the environment where the catcher was placed. If the catcher was hung in a busy area, there may be more particles. Likewise, if the catcher was placed in a heavily polluted area, such as a big city or an area with known air pollution, the amount of particles stuck to the catcher would likely increase.
The particles on the plate may appear black, and each one represents a pollutant that has been caught from the air. This simple experiment helps to visualise the pollutants that are present in the air and the potential impact they could have on our health and the environment.
To further analyse the particles, you could use a microscope to examine their shape, size, and composition. This additional step would provide a more detailed understanding of the specific pollutants present in the air and could be a valuable extension to the experiment, especially for educational purposes.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need paper plates, petroleum jelly, string, and a pen to make holes in the plates.
First, carefully apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly to one side of each paper plate. Then, make two holes in each plate and thread the string through the holes. Finally, hang the plates in different locations and leave them for a few days before retrieving them.
You can hang your pollution catcher in your home to test the air quality indoors, or outside in your yard or a nearby park. Try hanging one catcher in a busy area and another in a quieter spot to compare the results.
After a few days, take your pollution catcher down and examine it. You will likely see some particles stuck to the plate, which are pollutants that you would otherwise be breathing in.
