Teacher Training Curriculum on Environmental Issues | Page 29

Effects of Oil spills in the sea and other water source
As you all know, we have been discussing the effects of oil spills in the sea and other water sources
in your lesson. Today you are going to try out the experiment on your own. Remember to proceed
slowly and carefully and try and reflect after every part. Answer also the question/questions after
your observation.
Subject: Biology/ Natural science
Groups: Max 2 person per group
Material necessary: You will need a glass or a plastic bowl, a plastic spoon, some bird feathers,
paper towels, tap water, cooking oil such as Olive oil, raps or sunflower oil, calcium oxide, liquid
soap, a bunch of hay or dry moss, a rubber or plastic ring.
Step1: Fill the bowl with water from the tap to the half. Add a bird feather on to the water. What
happens to the feather? Does it float or sink?

Step 2: Pick up the feather from the water and then add about 20 drops of oil to the water. Release
the droplets together to form a continuous oil slick on the water. Now add the feather as close to the
oil slick, and if needed move it towards the stain with a plastic spoon. What happens to the feather
now? Does it look as it was from the beginning? Why?

Step 3: Take up the feather and place it on a paper towel. Put another 20 drops of oil so that a new
slick is formed. Take a rubber / plastic ring and put it carefully on the stain. What happens to the
stain?

Remove the rubber / plastic ring carefully with a clean spoon. If oil spills at sea is not so big, one
can use large rubber rings to capture the oil without causing major damage to the environment. The
process is called mechanical clean-up of oil spills.

Step 4: Add 20 more drops of oil. Take a little hay /dry moss and put it on the stain. What happens?

Natural materials like hay or dry plants can also be used for mechanical clean-up of oil spills in the

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