“ManoH20 Kit”, Towards Green Technology Practice.

Siti Nor Fazila binti Ramly 1, Hartini binti Saidin 2 Mimi Malini binti Mohmad Fuzi 3
Zuriana binti Zulkafli 4 Azfa Ilhamuna binti Ahmad Badri 5 and Noorhisam bin
Samsuddin6
1,2,3,4,5,6
Chemistry Unit, Science Department, Penang Matriculation College, Malaysia.
(ilaizs8485@gmail.com, solehahsolihin@gmail.com, mimimalini@gmail.com, zurianna.zul@gmail.com,
yourlearninggarden@gmail.com, and zigot_46@yahoo.com)

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Mercury manometer is the apparatus commonly used in class to illustrate Boyle’s Law. As the
existing manometer contains mercury that is harmful to human beings, many educators prefer to
skip the experiments. This has eventually affected the students’ science learning skill. To enable
the students to have more in-depth understanding and also to enhance their experimental skill,
ManoH2O Kit (water-based manometer) was developed to replace the existing mercury-based
manometer. Colored-water is used to fill up a transparent plastic tube, while a syringe is utilized
to adjust the air volume. Multiple experiments were carried out and the data obtained were then
analyzed, using Microsoft Excel Program. It was noted that the ManoH20 Kit produced consistent
and accurate results, compatible to that of mercury-based manometer (with percentage error
1.21%). Due to its validity and consistency in generating the accurate data, the ManoH20 Kit can
be used in experimental purposes, learning aids and demonstration in class. The kit is safe, easy to
control, portable and low cost to assemble.
Keywords: Chemistry, Experiment, Green, Manometer, Mercury, Boyles’ Law, Water-based.

INTRODUCTION

A good quality of experiment in science especially in chemistry needs eight important

qualifications, where the qualifications list is; the experiment must be a meaningful experiment to
the students, applicable the subject itself, is proven safe to be performed, involving minimum or
low cost, easy to set up, simple to perform and easy to maintain, able to give the expected result
or prove the theory, relevance and capable to do within the time allocated for the topic, or subject
matter (Richard, 1983). One of the main factor influencing the accuracy and reliable result from
the experiment conducted is through the uses of correct and suitable apparatus especially
experiment which deals with taking measurements. So in this study, we choose to reinvent the
apparatus used in verifying Boyle’s Law experiment. Typical apparatus that has been used in
verifying Boyle’s Law is the manometer which have an open mouth plastic u-tube, filled with
mercury, clamped with a retort stand and ruler to measure the length different and pressure
difference (Figure 1). The innovated manometer in this study is called ManoH2O Kit which used
colored-water as the filler in customized smaller diameter glass u-tube (Figure 2).

Figure 1 : Mercury-manometer Figure 2 : ManoH2O Kit

METHODOLOGY

This study aims in developing a safer manometer which support green technology practice to
be used in the teaching and learning process especially to verify the Boyle’s Law. This project
is a joint venture of all parties in KIK Awesomely United group to modify the manometer used for
verifying Boyle’s law in Experiment 7, Semester 1 One Year Program.

In verifying Boyle’s Law, students need to use a manometer as the apparatus. This
experiment usually require a more complicated set-up since the traditional manometers are
cumbersome, rather expensive due to the mercury, and bulky to store (Don Lewis, 1997). In
addition, the existing manometer which contains mercury is very harmful to humans. Mercury
(Hg) is classified as hazardous and carcinogenic (Choirul Hadi, 2013). It is a heavy and viscous
metal (Nor Asrina, 2017). Mercury has a material of neurotoxin which can cause permanent
damage to the brain and is easily absorbed by the human body. Exposure to excess mercury may
affect the lungs and human kidneys (Zailina, 2017). Many accident cases involving mercury have
occurred and this has been particularly dangerous to students, lecturers and lab assistants (Nor
Fahzylah, 2010). According to systematic review made by Magda et al. (2019), exposure to
mercury do effects on human reproduction system. The increasing level of mercury exposed were
always associated with infertility or subfertility status. In their studies, exposure to mercury also
caused infertile males had higher levels of mercury in hair than fertile males, reduced semen
quality parameters and also associated with incidence of menstrual and hormonal disorders. Due
to spillage of mercury accidents reported and feeling of insecure among students and teachers, we
took the initiative to invent a safer and user-friendly manometer.

ManoH2O Kit is designed to replace the use of mercury in manometer. This newly design
manometer, taking account the security factor of all parties in terms of preparation, handling and
usage with a very minimal cost. Therefore, our group has reinvented existing manometers using
colored water, syringe, smaller manometer tubes, and some other modifications. The main
objective of this study is to innovate and develop the water-based manometer which is user-
friendly, safer, smaller, lighter, and involving low cost and maintenance. But, we must make sure
that our objective do not disrupt the expected observation and results in verifying Boyle’s Law.
We must make sure that our innovation is align and providing consistent data in verifying the law
as mercury-manometer.

Thus, multiple series of experiments and efforts to produce a manometer which gives
consistent data with mercury-based manometer have been done. At the early stage, we tried to
replace the mercury with the colored water with the original tube, then we changed it to smaller
glass tubes. These 3 models had been set up and we did the pilot tests for every model by using
mercury-based manometer as controlled. The pilot test was important in giving accurate value
and to assure the consistency of the data obtained when we replaced colored-water in
manometer. The data obtained were recorded and analyze by using Microsoft Excel. From all
the data obtained and being analyzed, we confirmed and conclude that we can get consistent data
by replacing mercury with the colored water, but using the smaller glass tubes. Therefore, the
objective to replace mercury and get consistent data is achieved. These data obtained are also
approved by two expertise, Dr Ahmad Faiz bin Abdul Latip, Lecturer from Universiti Sains
Malaysia (USM) majoring in Physical Chemistry, and Dr Rosly bin Jaafar, a Physic Lecturer from
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.

Due to its validity and consistency in giving the data, this ManoH2O Kit has be used in
experimental purposes and for demonstration in class. This is important to prove whether the
objective of this innovation successfully achieved or not. A sample group of student (N=60) is
allowed to use the ManoH2O Kit throughout their experiment session. In this session, they must
conduct the experiment themselves and the teacher only monitors their practical. The manometer
consists of two glass tubes with uniform cross-sectional area which are connected by a piece of
rubber tubing. One end of the tube is left open whilst the other end is closed by attaching the rubber
tubing and pinching it with a screw clip. The system contains colored water. The volume of the
trapped gas is the volume of the tube between the level of the water and the close end of the tube
plus the volume of syringe. It is measured as the height of the gas column, h. The level of water at
the open-end of the tube determines the pressure of the atmospheric pressure. The pressure exerted
by the water column, PH2O, is measured by the difference in height between the two levels. The
difference in the heights of water in the two columns provides the pressure in units of mmH2O.

Assumptions:
1. The temperature of the trapped gas is the same as the room temperature
2. The cross-sectional area is constant throughout the tubes.
3. The density of coloured water is 1.0 g/mL at room temperature.
4. The volume of rubber tubes does not change throughout the experiment.

Procedure:
1. Add one drop of red dye to 20 mL of distilled water.
2. Stir the solution until it is homogeneous.
3. Transfer the red coloured water into the tube of ManoH2O Kit by using a syringe
(make sure there are no bubbles trapped in the tubes).
4. Record the height of water level, h1 on both sides of the tubes.
5. Set the syringe at 8.0 mL and connect it to an end of the tube.
6. Record the volume of the syringe, V, the heights of water level at open end, h1 and
closed ends, h2.
7. Take 5 more sets of readings by adjusting the volume of the syringe (range between
8.0 mL – 5.0 mL).

The results obtained from the experiment of verifying Boyle’s Law has been proven in
accordance to the theory and standard values when using the traditional method; mercury-based
manometer. As for the demonstration in class, students felt secure to handle manometer in
exploring the concept in Boyle’s Law, despite the mercury-based manometer. This ManoH2O Kit
is very user-friendly and easy to handle which make the lesson more enjoyable. The lesson was
held smoothly and effectively. Summary of the survey conducted to the sample and lecturer which
utilized the ManoH2O Kit is as follows;

1. Students feel very excited and ready to use the new manometer rather than the mercury-
manometer.
 2. ManoH2O Kit shorten the experimental time to about 20-30 minutes for completion, the
remaining time can be used for discussion session between the teacher or lecturer and the
students.
3. 100% save and accordance to the green technology practice.
4. ManoH2O Kit can be commercializing to all countries and abroad whether to meet the
needs of science or industry learning and suitable for every level of society to promote
science outside the lab.
5. Simple, concise and safe is the right tagline to describe this ManoH2O Kit.
6. ManoH2O Kit is easy to carry because it is lighter than mercury-based manometer and has
a special container.

FINDINGS

Table 1: Experimental data for mercury manometer versus ManoH 2O Kit

We asked the students to record the data obtained by using ManoH2O Kit in the
Microsoft Excel program as in Table 1 above and we compare the data with the mercury-
manometer by plotting the graph as in Figure 3 below;

Figure 3: Comparison consistency data between mercury-manometer and ManoH2O Kit

From graph plotted in Figure 3, we can proved that the data obtained by using ManoH 2O Kit
is consistent with the data obtained by mercury-manometer in verifying Boyle’s Law. This
also proved that ManoH2O Kit able to be used as an alternative to replace mercury-manometer
which contains hazardous mercury.

CONCLUSION

ManoH2O Kit is a newly developed manometer which uses colored water instead of hazardous
mercury as its indicator solution. It is proven that the consistency and accuracy of ManoH2O Kit
is as good as that of mercury-based manometer (percentage error 1.21%). The experiment
conducted to verify Boyle’s Law by using this ManoH2O Kit fulfills all of the qualifications
mentioned earlier. It is very simple and safe to perform, no worries if the colored-water spill
on floor since it is non-toxic as mercury, a low cost; an inexpensive small diameter glass tubes
to contain the colored water, support green practices, easy to carry, store and simple
maintenance, students and teacher friendly (user-friendly), and can shorten the experiment
period.

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