In this lab we answered the question of what concentration of bleach is the best to fade the color out of new denim material without visible damage to the fabric. We found that no matter the concentration of bleach, there was no visible damage to the fabric, so the solution of 100% bleach and 0% water faded the fabric the best. On a scale of 0 (no color change) to 10 (all the blue is faded), the mixture with 100% bleach a higher averages (8) on the fabric scale than mixtures with lower concentration (50%, 25%, 12.5%, and 0%). This could come from lecture notes, textbooks, reliable online sources, etc. as it is commonly known that bleach is used in many cleaning solutions, but also in laundry detergents, where it is used to mildly fade color and kill bacteria from the clothing. This data supports our claim since the bleach showed no visible damage to the fabric, and bleach is used in everyday life to fade color, so it makes sense for the 100% bleach mixture to be the best.
While our hypothesis was not supported by our data, there could have been errors due to human error and a lack of consistency amongst the materials. The human error came in many forms, as it lead to delays in the drying of the jeans and problems in measuring liquid for the different solutions. These errors may have impacted the data, as delays in drying the jeans may have allowed the bleach to fade the jeans for longer and effect the data, while improper measurements lead to inexact solution levels, so the jeans may have been exposed to varying levels of bleach. In both cases the jeans may have been exposed to an improper level of bleach, which could have led to bad data. Another cause was the lack of consistency amongst materials. The lack of consistency, including mild differences in jean size and color, could have lead to errors in data as the bleach may have led to different levels of color change based on the jeans original color, so the use of the fabric scale was not exact. Due to these errors, in future experiments I would recommend using the same type of jeans for better data and to properly measure solutions, which may not be possible due to there always being human error.
This lab was done to demonstrate the scientific method and the proper usage of its components. From this lab I learned how to properly write a hypothesis, run an experiment, and collect data and results. This will help me understand the concept of the scientific method, which help me in not only biology, but in all of my future science classes, as the scientific method is used throughout all science domains. Based on my experience from this lab, I would apply the scientific method to any experiment in order to ensure good data and to use proper scientific practices.
Color Removal and Fabric Damage in Relation to Concentrations of Bleach
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Concentration (% Bleach)
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Average Fabric Damage (Scale 0 - 10)
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Average Color Removal (Scale 0 - 10)
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Comments
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100
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0
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8
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50
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0
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5. 67
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25
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0
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3.67
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12.5
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0
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0.67
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0
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0
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0
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