Failed experiment has real life application

[LynnH]

I am one who tends to get stressed out if an experiment doesn't work. Today our failed experiment ended up having very real life application. Today we were making a edible ground water contamination model. Noah had been so excited about doing this because my dh is an environmental engineer that manages projects that have to do with cleaning up contaminated ground water. My ds worked very hard on getting it right. He placed his ice cream containment layer and added his top soil and then he took his contaminated ground water and when he poured it on it went straight through the containment layer instead of staying on top like it should. He was disappointed, but went ahead and put his "well" (a straw in ) and pumped the ground water and saw how the contamination would go down there if it wasn't already there. My dh came home and Noah told him what happened. My dh said "Actually what you just discovered is very real life". Turns out he is going to the state EPA next week and explaining to them why the containment layer on one of his projects isn't working and why putting the well in it isn't working because the aquifer is already contaminated. Well Noah's face just lit up that something he did was exactly what his dad was going to have to show the EPA. It really made me realize that there is application in all science experiments even if they don't go as planned. My dh is very pleased with what Noah is learning right now. He said the things with the ground water and water table etc is a pretty complex topic and was impressed how much Noah could tell him about it.

[tjneary99]

That is so great, what a blessing!

[birchbark]

Lynn, thanks for sharing! We did the exact same experiment today and had the same result. I just went in the other room and read your post to DS and DH, who did the experiment together this evening. What great timing.

[Heather4Him]

Wow, that's wonderful! What a neat example for your son to see/learn!! God sure knows what He's doing in leading us to HOD.

[water2wine]

What a great story! In real life experiments don't go as planned all the time and you do not always find what you thought you would. Sounds like your son is really learning to think.

[Carrie]

Lynn,

Thanks for sharing! I was fascinated with your husband's comments and direct life application. How neat!

Blessings,
Carrie