Paper towel manufacturers often advertise their product based upon how much liquid a single sheet of towel can absorb. Use three or four different brands of paper towel. Put exactly the same amount of water into separate bowls. Place one sheet of towel in each bowl until absorption stops then remove the paper towels. Pour any remaining water into a measuring jug to see which paper towel absorbed the most water. Write down you findings. You can work out from the results which paper towel offers the best value for money.
A sponge can hold many times its weight in water which is why they’re great for using in a shower or bath. However, consider why it is one sponge the same size as another can hold more water. Put two different sponges into two bowls of water; make sure they are the same size sponge and you’ve measured the amount of water in the bowls. A natural sponge and a synthetic sponge work well. Squeeze the sponges in the water so they absorb as much water as possible. Lift out the sponges and put them to the side. Pour the remaining water from the bowls into measuring jugs to ascertain which sponge absorbed more water and make a note. Cut each sponge in half and then look at the air holes in the sponge. The sponge that has the largest air holes absorbed more water, because there is more space in the sponge for the water to stay. If you used a natural sponge you will find it has larger air holes.
Cut a strip of two different clothing fabrics both the same size; nylon and wool are good examples. Predict which one will absorb the most water and why. Put the fabrics into two separate bowls. Put water into a measuring jug. Take a note of how much water is in the jug. Slowly pour the water over one of the fabrics until it stops absorbing the water. Make a note of how much water the fabric has absorbed. Repeat the process for the other fabric starting with the same amount of water in the jug. Compare the two results. If you were using nylon and wool you find the wool absorbed far more water than the nylon. Wool is a natural fabric and can absorb water; nylon is man-made and is effectively a plasticized product. The nylon strands can’t absorb any water so the only water held in the fabric is between the nylon strands.
You may think your skin isn't absorbent; it doesn't soak up water when you put your hands into a bowl. However, test what happens if you rub skin cream into different peoples hands. Try to get three or four people of different ages to volunteer. A teenager, someone in her 40s and someone in his 60s is perfect. Rub the same amount of the same type of skin cream into each of the volunteer's hands. See how long it takes before the skin cream disappears. You find that the cream gets absorbed quickly the older a person is. This is because human skin loses natural moisture as it ages. The skin also thins, meaning that the absorption rate is quicker.