The Effects of Soda Lime and Activated Carbon On Carbon Dioxide
The objective of this experiment was to develop low-cost, high efficiency filters effective at absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) from a closed system. These filters could be used in many areas of life, such as in car emission systems and home furnaces. Filters such as these are needed because over the last 50 years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reported that the amount of carbon dioxide emissions have increased by over 90% globally (“Overview of Greenhouse Gases”). These greenhouse gases have caused major global climate change which has caused many issues, including the destruction of ecosystems and extreme temperatures (“Climate Indicators”). Therefore, if consumers could reduce their CO2 emissions by 0.5 metric tons annually using CO2 filters, then emissions in the U.S. alone would decrease by over 150 million metric tons each year.
In this experiment, three filters were created from activated carbon, soda lime, and a 50-50 combination of the two. For each trial, a filter was randomly selected, attached to two boxes, and CO2 was sent through the system. At the end of each trial, the amount of CO2 absorbed by the filter was calculated. After 60 trials were completed, the data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and two-sample t tests. The descriptive statistics showed that the soda lime filter had the highest mean amount of CO2 absorbed. The only t test deemed statistically significant was the one that compared the activated carbon filter to the soda lime filter. These results were the reason the original hypothesis, which stated that the soda lime filter would be most effective, was accepted.
Research Conducted By:
Anna Jackson
South Lake High School
Tianna Kilgore
Cousino High School
Warren Consolidated Schools