TANZANIAN HORROR

Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore AIChE Student Chapter

Trisha Daftari
Urva Dave
Manali Mahendra Barve

I. Objective This module, backed with a real world application, aims to impart knowledge abouts
concepts like pH, evaporation and sedimentation to the students, by giving them a
detailed insight about ‘The Deadliest Lake on Earth’ i.e. Lake Natron. The vivid practical
demonstration will help the children to understand the concepts with crystal clear
clarity. In addition, it will also invoke their imagination and inquisitiveness to know more
about the world's unexplored natural resources.

II. Materials a) A transparent bowl (1 nos.)

b) Warm water (1 L)
c) Baking soda (7.075 g)
d) Ice cream sticks (2 nos.)
e) Craft Paper (1 nos.)
f) Mud (250 g)
g) Salt (28.3 g)
h) Red Food color (0.1 ml)

III. Procedure Students can follow all the procedure stated below
1.Make a human figure by coating ice-cream sticks with mud. Use gloves while handling mud if
necessary.
2.Make a flamingo using paper origami.
3.Take the transparent bowl and fill it to the brim with Hot water.
4.To this bowl, add a few drops of red food color, salt and baking soda.
This symbolizes Lake Natron.
5.Now completely immerse the human figure and flamingo in water.
6.Let it stand for a minute or two. Then, take the Flamingo and the human figure out and observe.

IV. Theory Lake Natron is a highly alkaline red colored lake with a pH of 10.5 with excess sodium
carbonate. Hence humans and other animals are not able to survive there but flamingos
and a few rare species of fish can. pH is the measure of how acidic or basic a substance
is. The range goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. pHs of less than 7 indicates an acid
and a pH of greater than 7 indicates a base. Usually humans survive best in a pH of 7.4
both externally and internally. They may however be able to tolerate an external pH upto
7.8, without dying. The optimal pH for survival of most animals is 7-9 and aquatic life
requires a pH of 6.5-9 for survival. The temperature can be as high as 60℃Whereas when
it comes to Flamingos and other animals and birds surviving there, they have tough skin
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on their legs to prevent burns from the caustic water. The high temperatures don't bother
them either. They can drink the salty, alkaline water of Lake Natron because of salt
glands in their heads, which filter out the excess minerals through their nasal cavity and
pass clean water to the rest of their body. Moreover, the excessive sodium bicarbonate
concentrations found in Lake Natron are crucial for the abundance of blue-green algae,
which is food for the flamingos.

This lake does not run off into the oceans and the rivers. Instead, its water evaporates,
causing sedimentation of excessive amounts of salt, making it highly corrosive. The
process of settling down of particles which were suspended in the liquid is called
sedimentation. Layers of sediment in rocks from past sedimentation show the action of
currents, reveal fossils, and give evidence of human activity. Over time, as water
evaporates, it leaves behind high concentrations of salt and other minerals. The process
by which an element or compound transitions from its liquid state to its gaseous state
below the temperature at which it boils is known as evaporation.

Target Age Group: 3rd to 5th grade