Good Science Victorian Curriculum Year 7

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES: SCIENCE AS A HUMAN ENDEAVOUR
5.9
CLEANING UP
OIL SPILLS
LEARNING INTENTION
At the end of this lesson I will
be able to discuss how science
and technology contribute to
finding solutions to a range of
contemporary issues, including
oil spills.
KEY TERMS
boom
a floating barrier used to
temporarily contain an oil spill
crude oil
oil that has not yet been separated
into useable petroleum products
oil slick
a layer of oil on the surface
of water
LITERACY LINK
VOCABULARY
Slick is an example of
onomatopoeia (a word that
sounds like what it describes).
Other examples are words like
bang and mumble. How many
more can you think of?
NUMERACY LINK
GRAPHING
In five consecutive years, the
number of worldwide oil spills
was 9, 5, 7, 8 and 5. Display this
information in a bar chart.
1
2
Oil is one of the most important materials used today. When
refined, it fuels the engines of vehicles, powers factories to
produce electricity and is an ingredient in the manufacture
of plastics. However, its extraction, transport and use have
an impact on the environment.
The accidental release of crude oil into the environment is
called an oil spill. Oil spills in the ocean can have a significant
impact on ecosystems. Understanding the properties of oil
and how it mixes with water and other chemicals has allowed
scientists to work out methods to clean up oil spills.
Oil spills can be caused by different
incidents
Oil spills into the marine environment can be caused by different events.
Crude oil is extracted by drilling it from reservoirs underground. Often
this is done from oil rigs in the oceans. If an accident happens during the
drilling or pumping process, crude oil can be released into the ocean.
Ships use oil as fuel. If a ship breaks down, runs aground, collides with
another ship or its fuel tanks are damaged, the oil can leak into the
water.
Oil is transported by massive ships called oil tankers. If these ships are
damaged, the oil that they are carrying can spill into the environment.
What is one way that an oil spill could occur?
Oil spills can damage the environment
When oil is spilled into the ocean it forms a thin layer on the surface
known as an oil slick. Over time, the oil slick will spread out to cover a
large area. If it comes into contact with the shore line, the oil will stick to
and mix in with the sediments.
The oil on the surface of the ocean stops oxygen and carbon dioxide
gas from dissolving into the water from the atmosphere. If the levels
decrease enough, this can kill marine plants and animals.
How do oil spills affect the environment?
Figure 5.19 Birds caught in oil
spills can lose their ability to fly,
swim and float, and they can be
poisoned by the oil when they
try to clean themselves.
84 GOOD SCIENCE VICTORIAN CURRICULUM 7