Modern diapers contain a super-absorbent polymer substance called sodium polyacrylate. This polymer can grab and hold water molecules, giving diapers the ability to absorb large quantities of water. Diaper commercials often advertise that their diapers are the best because they are the most absorbent. Here is a way to test the absorbency of diapers for yourself.
Instructions
1. Open the diapers and place them on a waterproof work area. If you do not have a waterproof surface to work on, you can place the diapers in shallow pans or large bowls.
2. Fill the 2-liter bottles with water. Make sure all the bottles have exactly the same amount of water in them. Assign one bottle to each diaper. Write the brand name on each bottle using a permanent marker.
3. Begin to pour water on the diapers. Distribute the water equally over surface of the diaper, and pour slowly, making sure that all the water is absorbed as your pour. Make sure not to mix up the bottles. Keep the same bottles with the same diapers. This will be crucial when you measure the results at the end.
4. Keep adding water to the diapers as long as they absorb it. Be patient, and take at least ten minutes for this procedure. It's actually kind of fun to watch the diapers absorb the water. Just when you think they are full, they'll surprise you and take on a little more water.
5. Stop adding water as soon as it begins to run off instead of being absorbed. Be careful not to waste "run-off" water, because you need this left-over water as part of the experiment.
6. Line up the bottles side by side and compare how much water is left in each one. The most absorbent diaper will leave the least amount of water in the bottle. In other words, the more water left in the bottle, the less absorbent the diaper.
Tags: absorbent diaper, adding water, amount water, bottles with, Make sure, Make sure bottles