Skunk removal
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/sci_update.cfm?DocID=200
A lesson plan for grade 4 Science
Learn more
Help
Please read our disclaimer for lesson plans.
Legal
This catalog record is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License. This license applies to the content of this page only and does not apply to the referenced website.
In this Science Update, students explore how to neutralize the smell of skunk spray. Chemist William Wood, of Humboldt State University in California says skunk spray contains smelly sulfur compounds called thiols, which our nose can detect in tiny concentrations. In the case of the example provided by a listener, Wood says the pet dog can be bathed with a homemade concoction that chemically neutralizes the thiols. A mixture of three percent hydrogen peroxide and a quarter cup of baking soda per quart of hydrogen peroxide and a little liquid detergent. Should remove the smell from a pet. Using a bleach solution will help remove the smell from clothes. Science NetLinks provides a link to the audio file, a written transcript, and questions to engage students in discussion about thiols and why the smell of skunk is so powerful and hard to remove. This activity also contains a link to Dr. Wood’s website.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Science (2005)
Grade 4
- Goal 1: The learner will make observations and conduct investigations to build an understanding of animal behavior and adaptation.
- Objective 1.03: Observe and discuss how behaviors and body structures help animals survive in a particular habitat.
