What's Hiding in the Air?: Rubber Band Air Test

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Learners build devices from rubber bands to test for invisible air pollutants. They then place the devices in different locations for a period of days or weeks, including one device in a closed area as a control. Learners document the properties of rubber bands before and after exposure to air, and correlate the amount of degradation to the amount of invisible air pollutants. This activity suggests other related activities to make a larger lesson or unit.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
45 to 60 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$1 - $5 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • wire clothes hangers
  • identical, small rubber bands
  • masking tape
  • magnifying glasses
  • index cards
  • Chart paper (large, bulletin-board size)
  • Colored construction paper
  • Scissors
  • Transparent tape

Keywords

Subjects

  • Earth and Space Science
    • Earth Structure
      • Atmosphere
  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Civil Engineering
      • Environmental Engineering
  • Life Sciences
    • Ecology
      • Human Impact
  • Mathematics
    • Data Analysis and Probability
      • Data Analysis
      • Data Collection
      • Data Representation
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Gathering Data
      • Formulating Explanations
      • Communicating Results

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • Kolenbrander, Amy ; Perez, Sharon ; Yowell, Janet ; Mach, Natalie ; Schaefer Zarske, Malinda ; Carlson, Denise

Source Collection

  • TeachEngineering

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Regents of the University of Colorado, 2004

Funding Sources:

  • Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)
  • U.S. Department of Education
  • National Science Foundation, 0226322