Jean Lab

     In this lab we asked the question, what concentration of bleach is best to fade the color out of new denim material in 10 minutes without visible damage to the fabric? We found that that a higher concentration of bleach leads to more color fading without visible fabric damage. The average color removal of 100% concentration bleach was 6.3, while the 12.5% concentration had and average of 1. The color of the 100% concentration was also far lighter than the control and the 12.5% concentration. According to UCSB Science Line , bleach, oxidizes pigment, making it reflect all colors of light, meaning it emits white light. This supports our claim, because if pigment is oxidized by bleach, then a higher concentration should make a pigment appear lighter.

     While our hypothesis was supported by our data, there could have been errors due to the fact that we bleached one of the 100% jean square and one 50% jean squares by themselves, instead of 3 at a time. This could have affected our results, since they were in the bleach by themselves, the bleach could have absorbed more of the pigment. This shows in out results because one of the 100% squares was slightly lighter than the rest. Also, we had many different timers going on at the same time, so some of our timing may have been off, resulting in some squares being in the bleach longer than others. Due these errors, in future experiments I would recommend making sure directions are written thoroughly, and to read instructions with an eye for detail, so there are no misunderstandings when executing the experiment. In the future, it would also be helpful to have a method for timing how long the squares have been in the bleach that would help avoid confusion and disorganization.

     This lab was done to demonstrate our understanding of the scientific method. Although, the lab wasn't related to biology, it allowed us to use the different steps of the scientific method. During this lab, I practiced identifying controls, constants, and independent and dependent variables in and experiment, which was discussed in the scientific method vodcasts. I also applied the concept of the metric system, which was also talked about in a vodcast when I measured out the bleach and water in milliliters. Based on my experience from this lab, this experiment can have a variety of practical, real world applications. For example, if I ever had a stain in something white/light, like clothing or carpet, I could use bleach to fade the stain, just like it faded the pigment in the jeans.