Illinois Junior Academy of Science - Yearbook (Urbana, IL)

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Although there are many ways of purifying waterg the filtration system is the one most commonly used. It is a cheap and easy way of purifying water. I constructed a water filtration system which contains the eight basic steps of the purification of water. The complete system flows through each step by gravity. My first container represents any river, lake, or stream etc. from which water is pumped. This water then flows into the intake well where large impure particles are screened out, here also, is where the carbon is added which removes the waters bad tastes and odors. From the intake well it flows into the accelator or lime mix where the water is softened, by putting lime in water which removes calcium and magnesium salts that cause hardness in the water. After the water has been softened, it goes into a series of mixing and settling basins. In these basins chlorine, alum. and fluoride are added. Finally, it goes into the eight filters. lActual1y there are eight filters but on my structure I only displayed one.J These filters are composed of three different layers. The first layer is of gravel, the second of course sand, and the third of fine sand. When the water finishes going through the filters it empties into the clear well which is a large storage tank. My results were: clean water. In approximately eight minutes my complete cycle had changed dirty river water into clean, clear water suitable to drink. Coal BARBIE GENENBACHER PEGGY GRAHAM St. Francis School Quincy Sponsor: Sister Ruth Arm S.S.N.D. Our project consists of the entire story of coal, from formation to the many products derived from coal. The display of our project consisted of posters showing the tipple, leading coal areas, shaft mine, products, layers of earth, and pictures of the different various types of mines. Also displayed were the sizes and kinds of coal, fossils we made, showing how coal is formed, products of coal, pam- phlets, and a book containing samples of things talked about in the story of coal. Coal is a soft brown or black rock. It is often called black magic, buried sunlight and other names because of its great powerful uses. Coal is used many different ways. Some of the most important are: to make gas, diamonds, and other products, to burn for heat, to supply power, gcn- erate electricity, and combine with other resources to make steel and iron. The U.S. produces the most coal in the world, besides Russia, but also has the greates coal reserves. By our project, we feel that we have learned much about the story of coal and its real meaning. Germinaiion Under Fiberglass RONALD TAKASHIMA l8l William F. Gurrie Central Junior High LaGrange Sponsor: Mr. Joseph Crisanti GERMINATION llB My project is to determine why the Famcomat Fiber- glass produces fast germination and more even growth. The Famcomat manufactured by the American Filter Company, was just introduced last year and the reason why it promotes faster and more even growth of grass is still basically unknown. I recorded the temperature of the bare soil and the thick iii inch Famcomat and found that the soil under Famcomat was about lk degree warmer. As com- pared to the bare soil, the total number of seeds germinated under the mat cover was far greater. This in all probability was due to the constant and controlled moisture content. My experiments also proved that germination occurred at least one week faster and more evenly under the mat than that of the control. I am doing further investigation and experiments to de- termine if the type of binding agent used in the manufac- turing process could cause the difference in germination and temporary growth. Presently, urea-formaldehyde resin is used to hold the fiberglass in place. If during the watering process, urea, a good nitrogen fertilizer, is released from the binding and taken up by the seed, promotion of immediate growth may occur. With the constant moisture and warmth provided by the Famcomat, is is probable that a faster and more uniform growth is obtained.

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Abstract PAULA EVANS The major problem in soil conservation is erosion. It is estimated that we have lost millions of acres of topsoil because of erosion. Soil conservation methods make the loss of topsoil less and some can even stop it entirely. Some methods heal the work of erosion. A few of these methods are contour farming, terracing, grassed waterways, strip cropping, pastures, cover crops, farm drainage, farm ponds and reforestation. Some methods are simple and some are not. When a farmer needs help for one of these conservation methods, he can ask for help from the Soil Conservation Service. This service is a great help to the farmer. The trained men in the service are very interested in soil conservation. They make maps of the farm and take soil samples. Then they put on the map which conservation methods should be used in each of the fields. Then the farmer can look at the map when he is ready Po Sant his crops and see what crops he should plant in each ie . The men of the Soil Conservation may also tell the farmer about these ways to control erosion on their farm: Give the soil a good cover and rich organic matter to help hold it in place and improve drainage. Use grasses and legumes in crop rotation. Grow them often enough to keep soil losses at a low level. Reduce erosion by managing your crops well. Disk down stalks in the fall and do not over graze grain and pasture. Farm on the contour. This helps hold the soil and in- creases yields. Combine strip cropping or terracing with contouring on slopes that are too long or too steep for contouring alone. Have plenty of grass waterways and outlets to remove run off water. Install tile systems where they are needed and establish good root systems. These steps may be followed for good, profitable farming. A Study of Water Pullution Miss KAREN DUGAN my Miss JOANN FERKO my Marian Catholic High School Chicago Heights Sponsor: Sister M. Emmanuel The third and final year of this project on Water Pollu- tion dealt with the effects of detergent and insecticide on marine life. The work done in the two previous years con- cerned, common water pollutants, various means of eliminat- ing these hazards and the effects of more specific pollutants on plant and marine life. The knowledge gained, formed the basis of this year's experimentation. Although the seeds of last year's tomatoes were planted to see if any mutations would show in the second generation, the plants died, be- cause the root hairs dried up upon transplantation. There- fore all work was concentrated on bluegills and common goldfish. In one series of experiments, tolerance tests were per- formed on bluegills from the original stock group. These being a year older, the results achieved with detergent CABSJ and insecticide CDDTJ, proved that an older fish can tolerate a higher level of pollution. In a long term experiment covering a period of six months, the effects of a tolerable level of pollution on blue- gills and goldfish were ascertained. The fish kept in insec- ticide were very inactive, while those in detergent seemed nervous and swam spasmodically about the tank. Both groups showed very little desire for food. These effects were also found in the experimental fish in the tolerance tests and the maze experiments. This last series of experiments showed that a tolerable level of detergent and a tolerable level of insecticide will seriously effect the learning and retaining abilities of fish. All of the fish had been trained to go through a simple maze: after treatment with pollution, the control group improved in that the time it took them to go through the maze became shorter, while the experimental groups worsened. The conclusions drawn from these experiments were: 1.1 Pollution should be abolished as much as possible especi- ally in spawning areas. 2.1 Detergents and insecticides have serious effects on the mental powers of fish. 3.7 The adverse effects on fish shown in these experiments, coupled with the news reports of fish kills and spoilings, should be, for man, a warning to bring about a rapid change for the better. Water Filtration System MICHAEL KENNING i7l Saint Francis Quincy Sponsor: Sister Ruth Ann S.S.N.D. Fry 1,Fll.TIlATI0ll SYSTEMT

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