Investigating Soap and Lip Balm
Soap Investigation
Introduction
Soap consists of a positive and a negative side called polar ends. When the ends are met up with oil, non polar and hydrophobic it will not mix, so the molecules do not change state. Here is a diagram of the soap and water:
Soap has micelles which point directly outwards and interact with the water when "bringing" it in. They are like packets collecting what is around it. The soap, not only kills the bacteria, but moisturises the hands with a balanced pH.
Method
Firstly, we would have to get the soap base which is fixed at two grams. We would have to add an independent variable which is the amount of Shea butter. There were amounts of 0 through to 3 grams going up in halves. This would narrow down our choices to make out what the conclusion would be. We would first have to measure the soap base and add it to a beaker with the amount of S. butter. We would have to use a Bunsen burner, gloves, a flat mat, a tripod and glasses to protect from any fires. We could then have a choice to add food colouring or scents. The beaker would then be left on blue fire for a few minutes until the two substances have mixed and reacted in some way. We would then have to pour it into a cup case the leave it to dry. We would then try to experiment the ability to lather and the texture. This test would be continued with the remains of the numbers (amount of shea butter).
Results
Amount of Soap Base
Amount of shea butter
Ability to lather
Texture
2g
0g
9cm
5
2g
0.5g
5cm
7.5
2g
g
6cm
2g
.5g
3.5cm
5
2g
2g
5cm
7.2
2g
2.5g
2.5cm
4
2g
3g
7cm
0
I predicted that the more shea butter I add the smoother the soap would be. Additionally the more shea butter I add, the less lather would be produced.
Graph
This graph determines that the ability to lather was very good at 0 grams of shea butter and got worse with the more shea butter added each time but it shot up to 7 when it got to three so the results are not that reliable. In the ...
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7.2
2g
2.5g
2.5cm
4
2g
3g
7cm
0
I predicted that the more shea butter I add the smoother the soap would be. Additionally the more shea butter I add, the less lather would be produced.
Graph
This graph determines that the ability to lather was very good at 0 grams of shea butter and got worse with the more shea butter added each time but it shot up to 7 when it got to three so the results are not that reliable. In the texture, the more shea butter added, it would mean the greasier the substance gets, so I can determine that the best amount of shea butter to put is zero. This gives a perfect texture.
Conclusion I conclude that there should be no shea butter added to the soap because it affects the amount of greasiness and texture to be very bad. I can deduce that the best amount of shea butter to put in is zero.
Evaluation Throughout the experiments I got very over excited for making the soap and I got the written work done. I think that I could have taken more time adding the shea butter and measuring it properly and efficiently so the results become more reliable. Next time I would also have written down every action I had done so that I can determine the results much more efficiently and easily. There would be no hassle in my future work!
Lip balm Investigation
Introduction
Lip balm is new fashion for girls mostly now, because they come in flavours and moisturize the lips. In our lessons we had the chance to make it. Oil molecules, non polar, in lip balm are very long. They are made of long chains of carbon, like this:
C-C- C-C- C-C- C-C- C-C- C-C- C-C- C-C- C-C- C-C- C-C- C-C- C-C- C-C-
There could be at least 20-60 carbons- the longer the chain of carbons the stickier the oil, this occurs because the forces between the molecules are stronger. For example if there are 5 people playing tug of war, they wouldn't be that strong, but If there are 60 people playing tug of war against each other they would be stronger because they are closer to one another! The other element is hydrogen.
Method In our experiments, we had to measure out the 2gram soap base, then add the amount of the ingredient (walnut, olive, coconut oil or shea and cocoa butter) we the needed a beaker and fill it up with water. We then put the beaker on the white mat and the tripod and the Bunsen burner (with gloves and glasses) and a blue fire. Put the tube which has the soap base and the ingredient into the beaker to boil for a few minutes. We then put it out into a cup case and leave to dry. When it has finished we test its viscosity, the runniness, and the moisturising factor. RESULTS
Adding Ingredient
Amount of Ingredient (g)
Amount of Balm base (g)
Moisturising factor
Viscosity
Walnut oil
5g
2g
7
4
Olive oil
4g
2g
3
8
Coconut oil
4.5g
2g
7
2
Shea butter
.5g
2g
0
5
Cocoa butter
2g
2g
8
0
Graph
I will be using a bar graph instead of a line graph for this experiment because I am testing it continuously so the data is continuous.
Conclusion
I think that this graph shows that the best lip balm was shea butter because it was perfect in viscosity and 10/10 in moisturizing. The worst one would be olive oil because its too runny and the moisturising doesn't do very well on the hands.
Evaluation
Throughout this project, I have enjoyed it thoroughly because it was very informative and fun. I learnt how to cope in different situations and I learnt how to set out my investigations. I think that it could have been better if I had learnt more about lip balm and if I learnt more about graph. In my situation, I think I could have made my work neater and be very mature about the investigation.
Window Cleaner Investigation
Introduction
Window cleaners are known to take grease off, shine the windows from any fingerprints, dirt, pigeon poo or even pollution fumes. I think that the cleaner has a special formula which kills bacteria and grease then a shining detergent inside. There are many known cleaning products- dettol, domestos, toilet duck, Mr Muscle, oust, flash and bleach. This list is infinite; each and every one of those products have two targets- kill dirt, leave shine!
Method
Firstly, we would have to get the fixed amount of our group which was 6- vinegar 50, soap 20, water, 200 (ml for all). The independent variable is the ratio of vinegar, soap and water. The dependant variable is how clean the window was after I used the product.
Next, we got a beaker, a measuring cylinder, a spoon, vinegar and soap. We firstly measured the amount of vinegar in the cylinder then poured it into a beaker. Then, we measured the water and the soap in separate cylinders and poured all of it in the beaker and mixed with spoon. We would keep mixing until we thought all the substances have bonded. Additionally, we got a spray container which would make it more exciting, and poured the substance into it. We got our area of the window done with the paper we cut out which made it a fair test because we all had the same surface area. The downside is that all the areas were not the same amount of dirt or grease on the windows. At the end of all the experiments we had to choose one of the following options: (tick one)
. Is the glass gleaming and streak free?
2. Is the glass clean but has some streaks?
3. Is the glass dirt free, but not grease free?
4. Is the glass dirty and greasy?
Results
Group No.
Vinegar (ml)
Soap (ml)
Water (ml)
Rating from 1-4
0
0
200
2
20
0
200
2
3
30
0
200
4
40
0
200
2
5
50
0
200
2
6
50
20
200
2
7
50
30
200
8
50
0
210
9
50
0
220
2
I think that my results are not reliable because there is no pattern- group one got the best rating and group 9 got the best rating too so I cant really deduce what the results could've been and how well they did.
Graph
Conlusion