what comes out of a car?

[Sassi]

Morning! 8wks to go, but who's counting!!!

One of the teachers would like to do a prac to test what comes out of a car. This is what he has given me, and asked if I know how to test it, as he doesn't, may I remind you all that it is monday and my brain is not quit switched on yet, sooo I need help please

'The main components of car exhaust are carbon dioxide, water vapour, nitrous oxide, other gases like sulfur dioxide and methane, and solid particulate matter. Design an experiment that can test for the presence of at least two of these components by using equipment found in your school science laboratory"


Any ideas????


Sassi

[noona]

Hi Sassi
We use a very long rubber tubing and a glasss filter fun and lime water
Place the FF over the tail pipe and the place the rubber tubing in a large beaker 1/2 filled with lime water and start the car someone needs to rev the car as if they are driving along at about 40k's
The kids here love it as they love watching the lime water bubble and change colour.
Hope that is helpful
Noona

[bindi]

I have done a simple prac on the Emissions of new and old cars if thats of any use

[Sassi]

Thanks Noona, that is really great and yes bindi it would really help Its monday afternoon and my brain still isn't switched on, looks like its gonna be one of THOSE weeks

Sass

[Ocean Breeze]

same set up as Noona suggests, at the far end of the hose, cover with a damp piece of light coloured muslin ..attach with elastic band
Make sure that its a free flowing open weave fabric, that you dont block off the exhaust!


There should be some black particulate...carbon.
Can also see it in the same limewater as when doing the limewater expt..and that saves them doing a second experiment

[Ocker]

Many years ago I used to measure flue gas with "orsat apparatus" place large garbage bag over exhaust pipe start car and run till you have sample gas then use large syringe to take measured amount of gas and bubble through I think KOH solution and collect in upturned measuring cylinder then you can work out how much was absorbed, there was a couple of other chemical solutions so you could measure unburnt O2 e;g; % gas in exhaust also CO2 & and of course remaining was nasties like NOX & SOX. search Orsat apparatus on net