UVBeadLabNames:CarolineSchulberg,JackParsons,LangstonScholl,DanielLuPer:3

Problem/Background:
UVradiationcanbeclassifiedinthreetypesUVA,UVB,andUVC.Theozonelayerthatprotects
theearthabsorbssome,butnotalltypesofUVradiation.Almostallhumansareexposedto
largeamountsofUVAthroughoutourlifetime.UVraysaccountupto95percentoftheUV
radiationreachingthesunssurface.MostofthebeneficialeffectsofsolarradiationareUVB,it
inducestheproductionofvitaminDinskin.UVradiationcanbeharmfulwhenapersongetstoo
muchsun.Whenapersonisinthesunfortoolong,itcancausesunburnsandpigment
darkening.ThechroniceffectsofUVexposurecanbemuchmoreserioussuchas,premature
agingoftheskin,suppressionoftheimmunesystem,damagetotheeyes,andskincancer.
Thegovernmentpromotessunprotectiontocommunities,theyplananddesigneffectiveshade
foracommunity,andtheyidentifyskincancerasapublichealthissue.Peopleprotect
themselvesfromthesunbywearinghats,applyingsunscreen,goingintheshade,wearing
clothesthatcoverthebody,andsunglasses.Carsconsistoftwodifferenttypesofglass
Temperedglass,andlaminatedglass.Temperedglassisusedforthecarssidewindowsand
thebackwindow,whereaslaminatedglassisusedforthewindshield.Whenbroken,tempered
glassshattersintosmallshardsunlikeannealedglass(usedinhomes)whichshattersintolarge
pieces.WhenexposedtoUVrays,temperedglassdoesnotprotectthecarfromallUVAand
UVBrayswhenlettingvisiblelightin.However,temperedglasscanbemodifiedwithtintsand/or
screensforbetterUVrayprotection.Ontheotherhand,laminatedglassconsistsoftwoplates
ofthickglasswithasheetofplasticinbetween.Whenbroken,agiantcrackformsatthecenter
ofimpact,andsmallercracksbranchoutfromit.WhenexposedtoUVrays,laminatedglass
protectsthecarfromallUVrayswhileabsorbingvisiblelight.
Question:DodifferenttypesofglassaffecttheamountofUVraysagivenobjectabsorbs?
Hypothesis:Wehypothesizedthatthetypeofglassagivenobjectisplacedunderwillaffectthe
amountofUVraysagivenobjectabsorbs.
Materials:Glass,Petridish,Colorchangingbeads
Procedures:
1)FilltwoPetriDisheswithequalamountofUVbeads[allspreadout]
2)PutPetridish1withUVbeadsunderwindshield(laminated)ofMs.Peraniscar
3)PutPetriDish2withUVbeadsunderasidewindow(tempered)ofMsPeraniscar
4)Recordresultsandmakedetailedobservations
Includewhatvariablesyouneedtocontrol:
Timeexposureunderwindow(s)
Typeofglass
Whatyouareactuallytesting?
WhetherthetypeofglassaffectstheamountofUVraysonthebeads
whattestsyouaregoingtoconduct
Wearegoingtosetupatesttoseewhichcarwindowabsorbsthemostsunlight.

Describehowyouaregoingtoprotectyourbeadsfromreceivinglightfromother
directions.Inordertoprotectourbeadsfromthesunlightbeforewestartourlab,weare

goingtoputthebeadsunderourjackets.Thiswillinsurethatthebeadsdonotgetany
lightbecauseitwillbedark.
Data:
ColorofBeads

TimeItTakesForBeadstoTurnPurple

SW:4:45

BW:4:54

FW:4:58

Graph:

AnalyzeandConclude
Inthislab,wewereusingUVsensitivebeadstotesthowmanyUVraysareabsorbedinspecific
situations.OurproblemwastofindoutwhichcarwindowsprotectedUVradiationmorethan
others.Wehypothesizedthatthetypeofglassagivenobjectisplacedunderwillaffectthe
amountofUVraysthatobjectabsorbs.Wefoundthatcarswindowshelpprotecttheamountof
sunbeamingonanobjectinacar.However,thewindowthatprotectedthesunthegreatestwas
thewindshield.Thiswasbecausethewindshieldconsistsoflaminatedglass,whichistwothick
platesofglasswithasheetofplasticwedgedinbetweenthem.Laminatedglassprotectsfrom
UVrayswhilelettingallvisiblelightin.Thesidewindowsgotthemostamountofsunlight,
becausetheyaremadeoftemperedglass.Temperedglassismorebrittlethanothertypesof
glass.Ittakesapproximatelyfourminutesandfortyfivesecondsforthesidewindowstoturn
purple.Thebeadsplacedinthebackwindowtookabout4:54secondstoturnpurple.Andlastly,
ittookthefrontwindowaboutfiveminutestoturnpurple.However,noneofthebeadsturned
completelyadarkpurple.Thisisbecause,theglassprotectssomeUVrays.Ourgroup
hypothesizedthatthetypeofglassagivenobjectisplacedunderwillaffecttheamountofUV

raysagivenobjectabsorbs,ourhypothesiswascorrect.WefoundthattheamountofUV
radiationonecanbeexposedtowhilebehindacarsbackseatwindow(temperedglass)is3
timesgreaterthantheamountofUVradiationonecanbeexposedtowhileunderthewindshield
whichismadeoflaminatedglass.Inanylab,therewillbelimitationsthathavethepossibilityto
affectthereliabilityandoverallresultsofanexperiment.Forexamplealimitationinourlabcould
havebeenthatthecarmayhavenotprotectedthebeadstoitsfullextentbecauseitwasamuch
sunnierday.Although,anydiscrepanciesthatoccurredinourlabweremostlikelyhumanerror
asopposetoanenvironmentalerror.InordertopreventUVexposureitisimportanttowear
sunscreenandotherprotectiveobjects(hats,glasses,clothing)whileridinginacarorjustbeing
outinthesun.Inconclusion,wefoundthatcertaincarwindowshavemoreUVexposurethan
others,anditisimportantthatyoualwaysstayprotectedwhileridinginacarorjustbeing
outdoors.

Bibliography:

GovernmentPromotingSunProtection:
"LocalGovernment."SunProtection.Web.22Oct.2014.

UVRadiation:
"UVRadiation|SunWise."EPA.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency.Web.21Oct.2014.

GlassofCarWindows:
Kayne,R.,andNikiFoster."WhatIsTemperedGlass?"WiseGeek.Conjecture,19Oct.
2014.Web.29Oct.2014.