Jean Lab

In this lab we asked the question "What concentration of bleach is best to fad the color out of new denim material in 10 minutes without visible damage to the fabric?". We found that the denim squares with pure bleach (100%) concentration had the most color faded in proportion to the damage done to the material.  Because of the short amount of time we put the material in the bleach, the material was not as damaged as it could have been. However, the fading process worked at a much faster pace than the damaging. This allowed for more discoloration than damage to occur. The color removal average for pure bleach was 7.3, while the damage for the same samples was kept to as little as only 4. The concentration that came closest in comparison was 50% concentration with a fading average of 4.6 and a damage average of 3.5. However, the pure bleach had almost twice the amount of fading as damage, while the 50% solution was only 1.3x the amount of fading to damage. This data support our claim because it proves that the pure bleach was most successful in fading the color of the denim with the least amount of damage.

While our hypothesis was supported by our data, the pure bleach was most successful at fading the jeans with the least damage, there could have been errors due to the short time period we had to conduct this experiment. We also lacked coordination and teamwork as a group. Some of our errors included unintentionally airing the squares on a paper towel before submerging them in water to stop the bleaching process. This may have skewed our results because the bleaching process may have continued while the damage did not. We also forgot to keep track of time during the experiment, meaning that we may have kept the squares in the solution or the water for too long. This could have affected our results because all the squares were not tested in the same circumstances leaving the results in question and possibly not repeatable or applicable. Due to these errors, in future experiments I would recommend doing only one sample at a time so that we are paying attention to all variables of the experiment and not rushing on to the next sample leaving room for error. I would also suggest that the group working together devise a plan and tasks for each scientist to do so that the experiment runs in a smoother fashion.

The procedure can be improved by giving the experiment more time to be conducted. Also, there should be more people per group so that there are assigned tasks and a smoother experiment is conducted. This lab was conducted to demonstrate and and learn how to use the scientific method. From this lab, I learned how to use the scientific method properly, and how to work as a team, which helps me understand the concept of the scientific method and where I needed improvement. Based on my experience from this lab I know that I am able to use the scientific method properly.