Settling and Filtering Muddy Water

In the picture

1. 1The settled mud layer: solid bits resting at the bottom.
2. 2The pale water above the mud: liquid with most solids sunk below.
3. 3The paper filter with brown grains: a barrier that traps solid bits.
4. 4The clear drops below the funnel: filtered water passing through.

Examples

• Muddy puddle water left in a bucket, then poured through a cloth.
• Tea leaves or pasta bits strained from water with a sieve or paper filter.

Quiz: Settling and Filtering Muddy Water (Age 11)

1. 1

   When muddy water is left still, what happens to the heavy solid bits?

   • They sink to the bottom
   • They dissolve and disappear
   • They stay floating in the middle
2. 2

   What does the paper filter do in this method?

   • It lets solid bits pass through but holds the water back
   • It makes solid bits heavier so they sink faster
   • It traps small solid bits while liquid passes through
3. 3

   After the mud has settled, why is the clearer water poured through a paper filter?

   • To keep all the water above the filter
   • To catch the remaining solid bits and let clear water through
   • To make the mud layer rise to the top

The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.