Creativity in Experimental Design

Question

Creativity in Experimental Design
An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing rock. Water-bearing rocks are permeable, meaning that they have openings that liquids and gases can pass through. An aquifer fills with water from rain or melted snow that drains into the ground. In some areas, the water passes through the soil on top of the aquifer; in others, it enters through joints and cracks in rocks. The water moves downward until it meets less permeable rock. Aquifers act as reservoirs for groundwater and wells drilled into aquifers provides usable water. Because aquifers fill with water that drains from the surface of the Earth, they can be contaminated by chemical or toxic substances found on the surface.
Question 1
Ms. Mann's students constructed this model of an aquifer. They were concerned about toxins and other chemicals flowing into the aquifer. They hoped to simulate this happening in their model. They brainstormed and came up with several ideas that would help simulate the movement of toxins into their aquifer. Which scenario is the most likely?
Responses
A	The students rebuilt the model with a layer of soil below the rock layer. They added brown dye directly to the groundwater to observe how it moved into the soils.The students rebuilt the model with a layer of soil below the rock layer. They added brown dye directly to the groundwater to observe how it moved into the soils.
B	The students added dirt to the top of the hill in the model.They sprinkled water over the dirt to see if the dirt moved downhill into the area that represented groundwater.The students added dirt to the top of the hill in the model.They sprinkled water over the dirt to see if the dirt moved downhill into the area that represented groundwater.
C	The students added some green grass and sprinkled the grass with some brown dye. They used the dye to represent the fertilizer. They used a spray bottle to represent rain and sprayed the dye-sprinkled grass.The students added some green grass and sprinkled the grass with some brown dye. They used the dye to represent the fertilizer. They used a spray bottle to represent rain and sprayed the dye-sprinkled grass.
D	The students added some brown dye to the water that they were pouring into the modeled aquifer. The dye represented the fertilizer that drains into the aquifer. They watched to see if the dye collected in the rock layer.The students added some brown dye to the water that they were pouring into the modeled aquifer. The dye represented the fertilizer that drains into the aquifer. They watched to see if the dye collected in the rock layer.
Question 2
The students wanted to determine what happened to groundwater levels when an aquifer is exposed to a long term drought situation. What could they do next to simulate this next environmental condition?
Responses
A	Stop pouring water into their model and measure the groundwater level after a few weeks time.Stop pouring water into their model and measure the groundwater level after a few weeks time.
B	Turn on a space heater as well as a bright light. Leave both on for a long time. Measure the groundwater level.Turn on a space heater as well as a bright light. Leave both on for a long time. Measure the groundwater level.
C	Shine a very bright light on the model for about a month. Then meansure the level of groundwater in their model.Shine a very bright light on the model for about a month. Then meansure the level of groundwater in their model.
D	Stop pouring rain in, shine a light on the model during the day, then measure the groundwater after a prescribed time period.Stop pouring rain in, shine a light on the model during the day, then measure the groundwater after a prescribed time period.

GPT-4o mini · Answer

**Question 1** The most likely scenario for simulating the movement of toxins into their aquifer model is: **D** The students added some brown dye to the water that they were pouring into the modeled aquifer. The dye represented the fertilizer that drains into the aquifer. They watched to see if the dye collected in the rock layer. **Reasoning:** This scenario directly represents how toxins (like fertilizers) can seep into the aquifer through the water. By adding the dye to the water that simulates rain or runoff, they can effectively observe how contaminants can infiltrate the groundwater. --- **Question 2** To simulate the effect of a long-term drought on groundwater levels, the best option would be: ** Stop pouring water into their model and measure the groundwater level after a few weeks time. **Reasoning:** This scenario directly mimics the conditions of a drought where there is no additional water entering the aquifer. Measuring the groundwater level over time after ceasing water input allows for an accurate assessment of how drought conditions affect aquifer levels.