Curated OER
Water Wonders
Students experiment with the cohesion of water molecules. In this surface tension instructional activity, students estimate how many drops of water a full glass can take before overflowing. They watch a video that explains water molecules.
Curated OER
Wet Pennies
Students conduct a simple test to determine how many drops of water, rubbing alcohol and vegetable oil can be placed on a penny before spilling over. They consider how varying surface tensions allow for different amounts of each liquid...
Curated OER
Water
Students conduct a series of investigations on the unique properties of water. In this general science lesson, students explain what causes water's surface tension. They explain the different stages in the water cycle.
Curated OER
Drops of Water On a Penny
In this science activity, learners learn about surface tension by performing an investigation with drops of clean and soapy water on a penny.
Curated OER
Surface Tension-Driven Flows
Students learn how surface tension changes can cause fluids to flow.
Urbana School District
Fluids
In 1879, Sir William Crookes discovered the fourth state of matter, plasma. The presentation covers states of matter, phase changes, density, pressure Pascal's Principle, buoyant force, Archimedes' Principle, Bernoulli's Principle,...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
How Dry am I? Exploring Biomimicry and Nanotechnology
Help your classes feel like they can walk on water! An engaging inquiry-based lesson has young scholars experiment with different surface coatings. They make observations about their properties and how they relate to the surface tension...
Curated OER
Surface Tension of Water
First graders observe the surface tension of water. In this water properties lesson, the teacher defines surface tension, then guides students through eight experiment that illustrate surface tension.
Curated OER
Drops on a Penny
In this surface tension worksheet, students predict how many drops of water they can put on a coin. They test their hypothesis and repeat their experiment three times. They record their data and average their trials.
Curated OER
Physical Properties of Matter
Five fabulous procedures introduce physics or chemistry classes to special properties of matter. They discover adhesion and cohesion, solubility, melting and boiling points, and viscosity through hands-on experiences. Tests are...
Curated OER
Tension Between Conflict and Compromise
Learners prepare for and participate in a debate and mock trial regarding laws broken during the Boston Tea Party. Several primary documents and a homework chart are included.
Magic of Physics
Forces Lab
Here's a force to be reckoned with in the physics classroom! Scholars discover the movements associated with tension, compression, and other common forces through a hands-on simulation. Pupils pull, push, and twist their way through each...
Curated OER
Surface Tension On Coins
Students drop water onto clean coins to determine the tension of each coin and then to graph their findings.
Curated OER
Surface Tension
Students examine the concept of surface tension. For this surface tension lesson students complete several experiments to allow them to better understand surface tension.
Curated OER
Surface Tension Grabbers
Learners explore why surface tension is such a very important biological concept. Determination is made on why the myriad of biota that interacts at the air-water interface are vital components of aquatic and marine ecosystems. They...
Curated OER
Contact Angle. Interfacial Tension and Wetting
Students determine the contact angle of water on different surfaces. In this physics lesson, students calculate their percent error using a mathematical formula. They explain the advantages of using non-wetting surface for certain...
Curated OER
Blow the Best Bubbles
Here is an exciting, and meaningful science lesson on the formation of bubbles! Young scientists have three cups with a variety of solutions in them. One cup has detergent only, one has glycerin added to it, and the third has corn syrup...
Curated OER
Bubble and Boyle
Middle-schoolers still enjoy playing with bubbles! In this series of eight laboratory activities, science learners explore convex and concave surfaces, angles, gas laws, buoyancy, density and more!
Curated OER
7.012 Fall 2004 Section Self-quiz
This quiz just looks neat! It has two cell diagrams for biology class members to label. They also describe the function of each organelle. A prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell are displayed for them to compare, and then they fill in the...
Curated OER
Penny Science
A penny can be a much more valuable teaching tool that you might think. Whether you are teaching about chemical reactions, surface tension, the behavior of gases, or are just looking for engaging activities for early finishers, this...
Purdue University
Take a Stand!
Not all will still be standing by the end! Challenge classes to use engineering principles to design display cases with specific constraints. A hands-on STEM lesson reviews the concepts of tension, compression, and torque before...
Acoustical Society of America
Wave Basics
Catch the fast wave. Using a computer simulation, pupils experiment with amplitude, frequency, damping, and tension of a string to determine which affects the speed of the wave. Learners record the observations to determine their...
University of Waikato
Investigating Bubbles
Bubbles are not always trouble. Pupils investigate surface tension in water and bubble mixtures by blowing bubbles and recording observations. Learners then create bubble wands of different shapes from pipe cleaners and observe the shape...
Teach Engineering
Doing the Math: Analysis of Forces in a Truss Bridge
Join together to investigate truss joints. Scholars learn how to analyze forces at truss joints to determine the strength of truss bridges. They apply the "method of joints" in calculating the tension and compression forces at each joint...