American Chemical Society
Changing the Density of a Liquid - Heating and Cooling
During a unit on density, pupils ponder whether or not temperature affects this property. By carefully inserting blue cold water and yellow hot water into a room-temperature sample, they will see the answer. Make sure to have done the...
American Chemical Society
Temperature Affects Density
Different substances can have different densities, but can the same substance have different densities? Lesson explores the effect of temperature on the density of water. Extension idea connects the concept of how melting ice in lakes...
Curated OER
Iceberg Ahead: How Does Temperature Affect the Density of Water?
Demonstrate how ice floats on water and get the class thinking about why icebergs are so deceiving. Investigators then experiment with mixing water of the same temperature and water of different temperatures. Make sure to explain the...
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.
Polar Trec
Sea Ice Impact
The arctic seas contain currents that are both warm (with high salinity) and cold (relatively fresh water) that circulate throughout the year. Through discussion, a lab, and a web quest, participants explore the impacts of melting and...
Curated OER
Hot Air Balloons
Students examine how a hot air balloon works. In this hot air balloon activity, students do an experiment to test the effects of heat on density. Students make their own hot air balloon and act out how nitrogen moves when turned to a...
Curated OER
Rising Waters
Fourth graders rank balls by size from smallest to largest and from lightest to heaviest and then by how much they made the water rise. They then discuss why certain balls make the water rise higher than do other balls.
Curated OER
Air Density and Temperature
Young scholars investigate the effect of temperature on the density of air by putting an uncovered bottle in a bucket of hot water. Then they place a balloon over the mouth of the bottle. They repeat the procedure using ice water and...
Curated OER
Lake Strata and Internal Waves
Use the classic density demonstration of placing a cola, a clear soda, and a diet soda into a tank of water. Then let learners attempt to pour some of the soda into layers in a clear container. The procedure explains a thermocline, and...
Curated OER
What Is Viscosity?
Students experiment with the visocosity of corn syrup, mineral oil, vegetable oil, water, and honey. They research viscosity before beginning. Pupils draw the conclusion that the marble sinks more slowly in the liquids with greater...
Curated OER
Hot, Cold, Fresh and Salty
Students observe the effects of layering water and what is more or less saline than normal. In this geoscience lesson students create saline solutions, layer them and observe how the water becomes different temperatures in different layers.
Curated OER
Activity #17 Liquid Density and Temperature
Students comprehend that hot water rises up through cold water but cold water does not rixe in hot water. They comprehend that water at temperatures above 4oC decreases in density with increases in temperature. Students answer lab...
Curated OER
What Floats Your Boat?
This open-ended boat building exercise is meant to be part of a three-activity series on ships. Links to the other two lessons are included. This particular part is mostly a group lab activity in which they build a boat, find its load...
Curated OER
Seashore Explorers
There are three separate lessons within this resource that can be used together, or that can each stand alone. In the first, five simple activities allow junior scientists to examine the amazing properties of water. In the second, they...
Curated OER
Density and Convection Currents
Students listen as the teacher explains convection currents in the ocean. They experiment with finding a smoking match in the classroom with their eyes closed. Students discuss what might effect their ability to pinpoint the smoke...
Curated OER
Convection and Wind
Learners use water, beakers, hot plates, paper dots, and goggles to participate in a hands on activity where they see how a convection current creates wind. In this convection current lesson plan, students participate in a hands on...
Curated OER
Determining the Molar Mass of a Gas
Learners determine the molar mass of a gas. In this molar mass of a gas lesson plan, students use the vapor density of an organic solvent to determine its molar mass. They vaporize the solvent and collect the vapor. Once it is cooled...
Curated OER
Temperature and Water Density
Students consider the effects of temperature on water density. In this Earth Science lesson plan, students evaluate a demonstration of cold and hot water currents in a model. Students use two liter bottles and varied water temperatures...
Curated OER
Sink or Swim
Learners explore sinking and floating. In this buoyancy lesson, students conduct an investigation dealing with regular and diet soda. Learners drop various soda cans into water and then discuss why some float and some sink.
Curated OER
Water Layering and Circulation
Young scholars examine relationships and interactions between different types of water. They experiment with colored water of different temperature and salinity and discuss how the results relate to real ocean currents.
NOAA
The Oceanographic Yo-yo
How does chemistry help deep-sea explorers? Part four of a five-part series of lessons from aboard the Okeanos Explorer introduces middle school scientists to technologies used in ocean exploration. Groups work together to analyze data...
Curated OER
Density Currents
Students study how fluids of differing densities interact with one another, how densities of fluids can be changed, and how density currents transport and deposit tremendous amounts of sediment in lakes and in the ocean.
Curated OER
Teacher's Guide For: Water Temperature and Salinity Experiment
Learners experiment with water density, temperature and salinity. For this water lesson, students observe how the coldest water sinks to the bottom of a test tube, and how saltwater sinks in comparison to freshwater.
Curated OER
Density Stratification and Ocean Circulation
Students examine how circulation currents of the ocean. They use a tub of hot and cold water to demonstrate the currents. They discover how salinity and temperature of water affect its movement.