RESEARCH / STATE SCIENCE FAIR FINALIST
Better access.
Better questions.
A team investigation into a more affordable approach to detecting harmful metals in drinking water.
THE QUESTION
What if water testing
were more accessible?
Our team of three built a spectrophotometer to investigate a more affordable method of detecting harmful metals, including lead and copper, in drinking water.
The idea began with communities that lack reliable access to clean water. We wanted to explore how more accessible testing could help people better understand what is in their water.
This was a collective project. The investigation and development of the instrument were shared across our team.
THE PRINCIPLE / AN INTERACTIVE EXPLANATION
Following the light.
Explore three parts of a simplified spectrophotometer.
Select a step to understand its place in the process.
A spectrophotometer directs light toward a sample. This is the starting point for examining how the sample interacts with light.
Simplified educational model · Not a replica of our team’s instrument or a test simulationPURPOSE & RECOGNITION
Research with a
community purpose.
The project connected a technical challenge with a practical concern: access to information about drinking water. Our work was recognized with selection as a State Science Fair finalist during freshman year.
At the center of the investigation was a practical question: how can useful scientific tools become more accessible to the communities that need them?