Product Testing Laboratory

Memo from Blubbenbacher Paper Products, Inc. 0. Blubbenbacher Paper Products, Inc To: Ms. Smith CEO of Chem Industries Our quality control department is being moved to a different location and will not be able to handle any projects for a few weeks. It has come to our attention that IPC Industries at Klein Forest High School has acquired an excellent reputation as a problem solving chemistry laboratory facility and we would like you to conduct the following investigation for us: The sales of our primary product "Paper Towel" seems to be losing market share and a number of seemingly unknown brands are creating serious competition. Please, conduct the following research: –1.) Determine how much water content our brand can hold and compare it to the competitors' brands. –2.) Correlate the paper strength with density and water content. Samples of our brand as well as the competitor's brands are included. We look forward to your test results and report. Sincerely yours, O. Blubbenbacher 0.Blubbenbacher, C.E.O.

IntraLab memo -Chem Industries, Klein Forest High School As you can see from the attached letter, we have been given the contract to investigate potential quality parameters of several brands of paper towel. I would like each of you to get into your work groups and brainstorm on the following two ideas: –1) How can we determine how much water content our brand can hold and compare it to the competitors' brands? –2) What lab method can you devise to implement your proposal? Since you have previously determined and measuring absorbency and paper strength should be a straight-forward procedure. After coming up with a working hypothesis, and a plan for testing that hypothesis, please show both to me. At that point your group will be given adequate samples of the various products to collect your data. Feel free to share data with other work groups. PreLab Activities: In your laboratory notebook each work group will submit a report which should include the following sections: –1. Initial Working Hypothesis. –2. Initial Working Plan. –3. Your Data Table

Assignment Each person will submit a formal laboratory report to Ms. Smith. Each Group will submit a letter of response directed to the client outlining what you did, what you found, and how this addresses the question proposed by the client.

Investigation Problem: Which brand is the better paper towel? Background Information: (What do you already know about the absorbency and strength of paper towel?) See if you can find information about how much liquid a typical paper towel should hold. How much liquid can a paper towel actually hold? Hypothesis: Hypothesis must be testable Materials: List all materials and equipment necessary to carry out the experiment. Procedure: List procedures in order. Design an investigation to measure which paper towel can absorb the greatest amount of liquid. Record your procedure in your Journal. Data table: (Have this set up so that you can easily record all data collected during the experiment) Analyze your data.

Evaluation Write your conclusion in a letter which should have the following information: Restate and answer your hypothesis, briefly write about the procedure, and summarize your data. Answer the following questions in your conclusion: Was your hypothesis correct? If not, how could the experiment be changed to retest the problem? What may be some sources of error?