1. A Science Experiment Conducted by Nathan Heath
Which is the Spongiest?
A Science Experiment Conducted by Nathan Heath

2. Materials 6 Different Sponges
Water (8 cups, 4 for for the 1st test, 4 for the 2nd test.
Calculator
Scale
Stainless Steel Bowl
Acute Pyrex Measuring Cup
Thermometer
Stove

3. Which Sponge is the Most Absorbent?
Test #1
Which Sponge is the Most Absorbent?
Determine which sponge is the most absorbent by observing how much water it absorbs out of 4 cups.

4. Hypothesis My hypothesis was that out of the 6 sponges:
Safeway Scrubber Sponge
CVS Total Home
Lysol Heavy Duty
Scotch-Brite Non-Scratch
Twist Scrub Sponge
Scotch Non-Scratch Greener Clean Sponge
I believed that the most absorbent would prove to be the Scotch-Brite Non-Scratch Sponge.

5. Procedure
1.) Pour 4 cups of water into a large stainless steal bowl. 2.) Take each sponge and dip them one by one into the bowl for 30 seconds. 3.) After this period of time, remove the sponge from the bowl and place it in anyone smaller bowl. 4.) Take the bowl full of the remaining water and pour the liquid into the acute Pyrex measuring cup. 5.) Measure this and record it in the data table. 6.) Reset and repeat this procedure six times, one for each sponge.

6. Water Absorbed by Sponge
Data
Sponge
Water Absorbed by Sponge
Residual
(Water Left in Bowl)
Safeway Scrubber Sponge
.50 cups
3.50 cups
CVS Total Home
.51 cups
3.49 cups
Lysol Heavy Duty
.22 cups
3.78 cups
Scotch-Brite Non-Scratch
.55 cups
3.45 cups
Twist Scrub Sponge
1.02 cups
2.98 cups
Scotch Non-Scratch Greener Clean Sponge
.81 cups
3.19 cups

7. Conclusion
After completing all of the testing, I concluded that the Twist Scrub Sponge was the most absorbent. My hypothesis had been that the Scotch-Brite Non-Scratch Sponge would be the most absorbent, and that estimate , I concluded, was incorrect.

8. Will the Water Temperature Affect How Much the Sponge Absorbs?
Test #2
Will the Water Temperature Affect How Much the Sponge Absorbs?
Determine how much each sponge absorbs at 3 different temperatures. At which temperature was the sponge the most absorbent.

9. Hypothesis
My hypothesis is that the 200 o F water temperature will release the most water into the Twist Scrub Sponge.

10. Procedure
1.) Pour 2 cups of water into a pot. 2.) Heat the water up to your specific temperature. 3.) Sit the sponge in the water for 30 seconds. 4.) Remove the sponge, placing it in another bowl. 5.) Squeeze out the water from the sponge, and measure that. 6.) Find the residual, or water left in the pot. 7.) Record your data in the table 8.) Repeat this procedure three times, one for each set temperature (50o, 125o, 200o).

11. Water Absorbed by Sponge
Data
Temperature of Water
Water Absorbed by Sponge
Residual
(Water Left in Pot)
55o F
.51 cups
1.49 cups
125o F
.39 cups
1.61 cups
200o F
.49 cups
1.51 cups

12. Conclusion
After testing the sponge in 3 different water temperatures, (55o F, 125o F, 200o F) I determined that the sponge absorbed the most when the water temperature was 125 oF. This means that my hypothesis was proved incorrect.

13. Acknowledgments
I would like to thank Mr. Miller for his reassurance on this project, and my mother for her generosity in purchasing a scale, thermometer, and sponges.