Embedded Files
Author(s)
Debbie Brenner, Santa Clarita Christian School
NGSS Engineering Standards
NGSS Engineering Standards
MS-ETS1-1: Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
MS-ETS1-2: Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
MS-ETS1-3: Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
Science and Engineering Practices:
Engaging in argument from evidence
Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
NGSS Engineering Standards
NGSS Engineering Standards
PROBLEM - A shipping canister of highly toxic industrial chemicals has fallen off a transfer vehicle at the downtown rail yard. The top of the canister has come off, resulting in a dangerous situation for emergency response personnel. Additionally, chemical company representatives indicate that the canister is not strong enough to hold the chemicals for transit because of the fall. Due to its toxic nature, emergency response personnel cannot enter a contamination zone defined by a circle approximately 1.5 meters in diameter and extending to 5 meters in the air.
If the industrial chemicals are not transferred to a safe container for decontamination within 90 minutes (its estimated safe life under current temperature and humidity conditions) it will explode. If it explodes, toxic chemical residue will be spread across the city and into the neighboring drinking water reservoir.
Your mission is to save the city and its source of drinking water.
DESIGN - Design a device and process to safely transfer the toxic industrial chemicals into a decontamination chamber before it explodes. Testing grounds have been set up for you to safely design, test, and improve upon possible design solutions until your design is ready for use.
Constraints:
Use only the provided materials.
No body parts can cross into the contamination zone.
The damaged shipping container must stay in the middle of the circle.
The decontamination container must be moved in and out of the contamination zone using your device.
The industrial chemical must be transferred from the shipping canister to the decontamination container within 50 minutes or there will be a disaster.
You must not spill any of the industrial chemical.
OPTIMIZATION - Create and sketch two to four ideas for possible solutions. Each solution must include a device AND a process. Discuss and decide on a single design, and build the device. Document the transfer process with numbered steps and/or annotated pictures. Test your possible solution in your assigned testing ground. Record qualitative and quantitative data to help your team determine how to proceed toward a solution. Analyze collected data and determine if your design needs to be modified. If so, make the needed modifications and re-test the device and process.
Materials needed
Materials needed
One rope to mark out the contamination zone, approximately 1.5m in diameter.
5 ropes, each approximately 2 meters long
Two large rubber bands
One pipe cleaner
Two plastic containers, approximately 1 liter in volume
Unpopped corn kernels to half fill one of the plastic containers
Procedure
Procedure
Set up the testing scene:
Set up the contamination circle with the cup half filled with corn kernels in the center of the circle.
Setting the cup on a large sheet of paper helps clean up spilled corn kernels quickly.
Set the empty cup outside the circle.
Solve the problem:
Work as a team to build, test, and optimize a device
Work as a team to develop a process to transfer all of the contaminated chemicals into a decontamination chamber without spilling.
Successful solutions must be implemented withing the allotted time (50 minutes) and within the constraints listed above in the "DESIGN" section.
Questions
Questions
What surprised you about this investigation? (Students identify unexpected observations, challenges, and/or outcomes)
How does a consistent process of designing, building, testing, and evaluating multiple solutions allow engineers to develop high quality solutions to problems?
What particular aspects of other groups' solutions impressed you, and what helpful suggestions can you make about other groups' devices and processes?
Photos
Photos
Movies
Movies
Coming soon...
References
References
Curiosity Machine: Design Challenges
Society for Petroleum Engineers Activities
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse