Extreme Experiments 2004

Is there a pressing question — a societal need — or even just a cool idea, the answer to which can be found on the ocean floor? This is your turn to be the scientist. Yeah, you be the scientist! We challenge you to design an experiment for the Extreme 2004 team at sea!

One experiment per classroom or student may be submitted. Your teacher should submit the experiment using the on-line form in the Teachers Corner. The scientists will review all the experiments and select a number of them to perform aboard R/V Atlantis and the submersible Alvin.

Keep in mind that the scientists will be over 1,000 miles offshore and nowhere near a hardware store. So you should use common, everyday materials that you might expect to be housed aboard a ship that serves as both a laboratory and a home on the ocean for the scientists and crew. To see what students submitted last year, check out Extreme Experiments 2003.

Come back and see what experiments have been chosen for Extreme 2004!

Egg-citing Experiment

School: Central Wilkes Middle School

Teacher: Gwen H. Temple

Experiment Question: Will a raw egg become hard-boiled when placed near a hydrothermal vent?

Experiment Hypothesis: We belive that it will become hard-boiled.

Step 1: Use robotic arm to place a raw egg near the vent.

Step 2: Leave in place for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Return egg to Alvin and examine it.

Scientific Results

Objective: Will a raw egg become hard-boiled when placed near a hydrothermal vent?

Materials: The Egg Sock: egg, titanium mesh, stainless steel wire. The Can-Traption: egg, aluminum can with both ends removed, titanium mesh, hose clamps, stainless steel wire.

Procedure: Construct Egg Deployment Devices (EDDs) to transport eggs from the galley to the ocean floor. Two devices were constructed to transport two eggs to the ocean floor.

The "Egg Sock" consisted of titanium mesh wrapped around an egg and bunched in the back. The bunch of extra material was strengthened with a stainless steel wire and a hole drilled through the bunch of mesh. A second loop of stainless steel wire was attached to give Alvin's manipulator arm something to grab.

The "Can-Traption" consisted of an aluminum can. Both ends of the can were removed with a can opener. A titanium mesh was attached to both ends with hose clamps, and a stainless steel wire was used to create a ring for the manipulator to grab.

This is Freddy the Egg.

This is Super Huevo (Huevo is Spanish for egg. It also said this on the box of eggs in the galley.)

Both containers were used to send two eggs (dubbed Freddy and Super Huevo) down to 2,500 meters. At a site known as Tica along the Axial Summit Collapse Trough, the Egg Sock (containing Freddy) was deployed in a black smoker for 7 minutes. After that, the egg sock was retrieved and deposited in Chamber #1 of the Artie.

Results: Alvin pilot Tony Tarantino was quoted during the deployment as saying that he fried Freddy. Upon return to the surface, both eggs were examined. Freddy, was, in fact, completely fried and had broken open. The shell was completely black, and Freddy's facial features were indistinguishable. His backside, however, revealed a light patch, suggesting that it was pointed away from the black smoker. The egg material (Freddy's innards) appeared burnt, and no one could be convinced to eat it. The egg also smelled very strongly of sulfur. Super Huevo appeared completely intact and returned with a smile on his face. Despite the fact that he went down raw, some of the scientists hypothesized that his innards might have been compressed and so, he would appear solid. Torii, the cook, suggested that I attempt to float Super Huevo. If he floated, he was solid. If he was raw, he would sink. As I returned to my workbench, I found Super Huevo on the floor, as he apparently rolled off the workbench. He was raw!

Explanation: Interestingly, there was much talk among scientists and crew as to whether Freddy or Super Huevo would survive the trip down. Those who believed they would survive said that it was due to the strength of the eggshell. In truth, it has to do with the eggshells porosity. By allowing water to enter the shell, pressure can be equal on both sides, and the egg will survive. Discussions following the experiment reflected the revelation that 338 degrees Celsius was, in fact, too hot a temperature to be cooking an egg for 7 minutes. Dr. Alison Murray was quoted as suggesting a modified cooking time of approximately one minute. This experiment was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed building the EDDs, and this experiment truly involved everyone from the galley staff to the Alvin pilots. There were many people who assisted in the design and execution of this experiment. On a final note, Bruce Strickrott, senior Alvin pilot was quoted as saying, "C'mon, Mike. Lets do another. I'll cook it just right."

Conductive Coolness

School: Dutchtown High School

Teacher: Michael B. Simoneaux

Experiment Question: How does the conductivity of water in and around the hydrothermal vents compare with that of water at a higher depth ?

Experiment Hypothesis: The water near the vents will have a higher conductivity ( conducts electricity better ) than water at a lesser depth

Step 1: test the water close to a vent using a conductivity probe

Step 2: test the water at regular intervals, at different depths above the hydrothermal vent

Step 3: compare the conductivity measurements to see if there is any difference, or if a gradient exists

Scientific Results

Objective: To compare the conductivity of water in and around the hydrothermal vents with the conductivity of water at higher levels.

Materials: CTD Conductivity, Temperature and Depth device; Hydroboom (lifting mechanism); poles with hooks; protective clothing: personal flotation devices, steeltoed shoes, and hard hats.

Procedure: Deploy CTD to the ocean floor and draw up slowly, taking water samples at regular levels and transmitting data back to shipboard computer.

The Conductivity, Temperature and Depth device on the deck of R/V Atlantis.

Atlantis Shipboard Scientific Services Group officer Dave Sims helps bring the CTD back on board.

Shellie Bench, Dr. Shannon Williamson, and Dr. Astrid Schnetzer take a look at the CTD results.

The computer produced this graph from the CTD data. The pink line indicates transmissivity, the level of light which passes through water. The red line indicates salinity in PSU. The blue line indicates temperature in degrees Celsius. The green line indicates conductivity S/m.

Results: Through most of the water column conductivity is relatively stable. At the surface conductivity varies. See graph.

Explanation: The level of conductivity is relatively constant below approximately 300m.