Saving Lives with Centrifugation

Students will be creating their own centrifuge in order to investigate the behaviors of particles under centrifugal force and how this is used in the field of blood donations and processing. Our goal is to promote blood donations, especially during the current shortage, by demystifying the procedure itself and explaining the fascinating phenomena that occur while processing blood. By creating their own centrifuge, students will be able to apply engineering principles to ensure their product works properly, and then can explore the laws of physics through the utilization of it.

Module details
Topics
Physics
Best-suited audience
Ninth Grade to Twelfth Grade (approximately ages 14-18)
Interactive?
Yes
Approx. time requirement 20 minutes
AIChE community affiliation
University of Florida AIChE Student Chapter
Approx. # of volunteers
3
Recommended audience size
4

Module Video