Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Floating and Sinking: Density
This investigation introduces the concepts of volume, mass, and density and how they interact. Students will make predictions of whether an object will float or sink after finding mass and volume of an object.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Water Activity
Students investigate water by estimating how long it takes to freeze, then see if the ice cube will float in water, and eventually work with other items to see if they sink or float in water.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: "Does It Float?" an Inquiry Based Activity Investigating Buoyancy
This is an inquiry-based activity in which students will need to work together as a class to solve the following problem: they must construct a "boat" entirely out of modeling clay that is capable of supporting 150 grams of cargo without...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Charles' Law and Ivory Soap
With this activity students will observe and record the properties of various types of bar soap. They will discover that due to the ingredients some soaps are denser than others, and ivory soap will actually float. Students will see a...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Sinking Water: Glaciers, Ocean Currents and Weather Patterns
A instructional activity where students learn how warm water is less dense than cold water, and what this means for global climate change as ice from the polar regions melts. Students will do experiments in buoyancy and water density...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Chromatography: Selecting Variables
For this lab, students will demonstrate observation skills as they design an experiment to separate colors of various water-based pens in order to learn about mixtures and solutions. Students will determine a variable to test and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Floating Foods and Underwater Eruptions: An Exploration of Density
Students explore the concept of density by investigating how several solids and liquids interact. Through hands-on activities and a teacher demonstration, they develop a greater understanding of density by using their observational...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Density Differences
Students investigate differences in ocean water density, and record density data from salt, ice, and hot water samples in their notebooks. Students then simulate ocean water temperature levels in a simulation.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Activity: Identifying a Solid Using Density
Students will measure the length, diameter, and mass of twelve cylinders made of the same element. The first set of measurements are made with a standard metric ruler and 0.1g balance. The measurements are then repeated using a Vernier...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Introductory Concepts in Soil Chemistry
In this introductory lab activity, students will collect data that will graphically illustrate the relationship between mass and volume in determining the density in chemistry. Based on density, students will seek to determine a...
Simon Fraser University
Chem1 Virtual Textbook: Getting Started in Chemistry
With the subtitle, "stuff you should know before delving too far into Chemistry," this site examines a range of six topics to provide the user with a broader understanding of chemistry.
Michigan Reach Out
Austin University: Demonstrating Air Pressure With Eggs
This site will tell you how you can use an egg to identify air pressure and how it affects objects. Includes easy step by step instructions.
University of Hawai'i
Density (Lesson Plan)
The purpose of this lesson plan is to find the density of regular (volume can be with a mathematical formula) or irregular objects through water displacement. Uses actual SI units (g/cubed cm).
![Density Demonstration: Coke vs. Diet Coke [Pdf] Activity](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Density Demonstration: Coke vs. Diet Coke [Pdf] Activity")
My Science Site
Density Demonstration: Coke vs. Diet Coke [Pdf]
Help students brainstorm and find a solution as to why Diet Coke floats and Coke sinks. Student will learn to define what density is as they engage in this creative lab. This resource is in PDF form; requires Adobe Reader.
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Atwood Machine in Fluid Model
Simulation of an Atwood machine where two masses of varying densities are suspended in water using a pulley system. Adjust the densities of the masses, their positions and the water level to see how the changing gravitational, buoyant,...
PBS
Pbs, Secrets of the Ocean Realm: Mountain in the Sea
This experiment allows your students to study the effect of temperature on water motion and also to create their own density driven current.
PBS
Pbs: Buoyancy Basics
NOVA explores the basic principle of buoyancy. Also included at this site are some interesting brain-teasers related to the topic.
PBS
Pbs: A Classical and Relativistic Trip to a Black Hole
This PBS site is a classroom activity that takes a trip to a black hole. Students apply calculations on distance, velocity, acceleration, time, circular motion, density, and more.
Science is Fun
Science Fun: Layered Liquids
This experiment allows you to dramatically demonstrate the different densities of five different common household liquids.
Science is Fun
Fun Science: Sinking and Floating Soda Cans
Why do some pop cans float in water while others don't? This easy experiment is a great example of the principle of density.
Science is Fun
Fun Science: Bowling Balls: Sink or Float?
For a dramatic illustration of density check out this demonstration. It's simple to do, only requiring a bowling ball and some water.
Other
Population
Population directly effects our everyday lives in many ways. Explore the effects of population by learning about population density, population distribution, and population change.
Other
Sprk: Sphero Hydro Hypothesis Stem Challenge [Pdf]
SPRK STEM challenges are fun, interactive activities that challenge students to use creativity and team-work to move through simple steps of the design process in order to build Sphero-based creations. The Hydro-hypothesis challenge...