25 March, 2002

Math/Science Problem today:

The chemical samples will be sent away to a lab and the snow will be analyzed.

The laboratory says that their tests require 100 ml of water. The lab supplied us with 500 ml bottles to collect the snow. So based on the density of the snow, how much snow do we need to collect to ensure that enough water is obtained? Will we be able to collect enough snow?

Let's have a review on density. Density measures mass per unit volume. All matter has density. It is simply describing how much matter is in a certain space. It is measured in grams per milliliter. You simply find the density of an object by dividing the mass into the volume.

Formula = Density = mass /volume

So if the mass of an object is 6 grams and the volume is 3 ml. What is the density?

6 grams/3 milliter = 2 g/ml

So we are able to calculate the density of the snow. For each of the following snow densities, find the volume of water in the snow. Will there be enough water to conduct the chemical tests?? Remember the bottles are 500 ml and we pack them with the snow.

1) 0.2 g/ml

2) 0.17 g/ml

3) 0.35 g/ml

4) 0.09 g/ml

Science is fashionable!!! Performing the chemical sampling of snow!