WARM UP ACTIVITY
This YouTube clip demonstrates your warm up Splatter activity. Watch the clip and then use the following materials provided by your teacher.
MATERIALS
Red Food Colouring
Eye Dropper
Ruler
A4 Paper
Pen
MATERIALS
Red Food Colouring
Eye Dropper
Ruler
A4 Paper
Pen
Hint: Once you create your splatters on paper allow them to dry before measuring the diameters.
main splatter experiment
PREPARATION
MATERIALS
During this task you will be investigating how blood drops behave when dropped from various heights, and when the source of the blood is moving from side to side.
Divide into groups of three. You will each take turns at being the dropper, the measurer, and the recorder.
Start by testing your ‘blood’ by dripping some onto a scrap piece of paper. Make sure it is stirred well and drips evenly.
ACTIVITY 1 – Drops away!
ACTIVITY 2 – On the move!
- Before you begin this experiment you will need to do the following:
- Prepare the area. Use plastic sheets or drop cloths to protect walls and floors.
- Prepare yourself. Wear an art smock, lab coat or some old clothes that you don’t mind getting ‘blood’ on. Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes.
- Prepare your equipment.
MATERIALS
- Fake ‘blood’. Use either ink or thin red paint
- An eye dropper
- Paint brush
- Metre ruler
- Tape measure
- Sticky tape
- Pencil and paper
- Glue and scissors
- Art smock, lab coat or old clothes
- Goggles
- A large sheet of paper
- Drop cloths or plastic sheeting
During this task you will be investigating how blood drops behave when dropped from various heights, and when the source of the blood is moving from side to side.
Divide into groups of three. You will each take turns at being the dropper, the measurer, and the recorder.
Start by testing your ‘blood’ by dripping some onto a scrap piece of paper. Make sure it is stirred well and drips evenly.
ACTIVITY 1 – Drops away!
- Have the measurer hold the ruler upright, and then have the dropper hold the eye dropper of ‘blood’ with the end at the 2cm mark. Squeeze gently to release one drop and let it fall. Be sure to wear your protective equipment!
- The recorder makes a note on the large sheet of paper next to the resulting splat of the height it was made from, and leaves the sample to dry.
- The process is then repeated from the heights of 10cm, 25cm, 50cm and 1m above the ground.
- To ensure you get a large sample size swap roles and repeat the entire 5 drop process 2 more times from the same heights. Each person in the group will perform each role once. You will end up with a large piece of paper with 3 rows of 5 splats, each with notes next to them documenting the height they were made from.
- Document your results by completing the Activity 1 record sheet while you allow your experiment to dry. Leave it flat on the ground to preserve the shape of the evidence. You will need to then cut out the splats that you made, and glue them onto the record sheet in the spaces provided.
ACTIVITY 2 – On the move!
- Once your sheet of paper from Activity 1 is dry and all recording activities have been completed you can move onto activity 2.
- Place a fresh sheet of large paper on the ground in your work area. Ensure that the area is clean so you do not contaminate the evidence!
- For the second activity you will be recording the shape of drops that are formed when the object dripping blood is moving.
- Use a paint brush dipped in the ‘blood’ for this experiment. Each member of the group will have a turn at conducting this experiment. You can choose the height that you wish to use, but do your best to ensure that the height stays constant as you move across the piece of paper.
- Make a series of splats as you move the brush across the page from left to right. Make a note of the direction, height and speed that the brush was moved next to the line of drops.
- Repeat the process from right to left, again noting the height, direction and speed next to the line.
- Each person in the group records one line of drops in each direction.
- Allow the drops to dry as you fill out your Activity 2 record sheet. Once the drops are dry cut out your samples and stick them onto the page in the spaces provided.
CLEAN UP
Take care to clean up after these activities. Ensure that the containers of ‘blood’ are sealed and stored away before packing up any scrap paper and recycling. Carefully roll up drop sheets or plastic to avoid spilling or smearing excess ‘blood’ on the walls or floor. Check to see that there is no ‘blood’ on your shoes before taking all rubbish from the room.
Take care to clean up after these activities. Ensure that the containers of ‘blood’ are sealed and stored away before packing up any scrap paper and recycling. Carefully roll up drop sheets or plastic to avoid spilling or smearing excess ‘blood’ on the walls or floor. Check to see that there is no ‘blood’ on your shoes before taking all rubbish from the room.