Many people use repellents to avoid getting mosquito bites during outings.
The advantages and disadvantages of natural and artificial repellents have been argued for years. Although alternative forms of insect repellent, such as citronella bracelets, have come on the market, many people still rely on artificial (chemical-based) repellents to keep themselves and their homes insect free. You can try one of several experiments to understand the differences in composition and effectiveness between natural and artificial repellents. Does this Spark an idea?
Under a Microscope
A basic experiment to do with natural and artificial repellents is to get a small sample of each and examine the differences between them. This would include actually looking at both samples with the naked eye, as well as under a microscope and trying to make out the differences in composition. More importantly, however, it includes looking at the ingredients in each type of repellent and researching the properties of each ingredient. A follow-up experiment might compare several different types of natural repellents with several different types of artificial repellents to see whether the differences exist across different repellents in each category.
Repelling Ants
In order to do this experiment, you'll have to search around for an area that has a lot of insects passing by. This might include a garage, a backyard, or an area of the woods. To get a baseline, count how many ants or other insects pass by that point in a given time, such as twenty minutes, repeating this several times and taking the average of all of them. You can then put first a natural repellent and then an artificial repellent in the area and take data on how the number of insects passing by changes. Make sure to repeat each scenario several times and take averages for the most accurate results.
A Camping Experiment
This experiment is best if you have access to a large group of people who are going to be outdoors for a long period of time, especially on a camping or hiking trip. Before they go outside, divide them randomly into three groups and give each group an identical spray bottle to use as a "repellent." Fill one with a natural repellent, one with an artificial repellent, and one with plain water (scented slightly). When they return from outdoors, have them count how many mosquito bites they have. You can then ascertain which repellent was most effective, as well as whether the "placebo" of the water-filled spray bottle mimicked the effects of the actual repellents.
Tags: artificial repellents, natural artificial, natural artificial repellents, count many, differences composition, different types, insects passing