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Forces in Fluids
In this forces in fluids learning exercise, students identify the principles behind the forces acting upon objects in fluids that make them float, lift and spray.
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Density of Liquids
Students apply knowledge about density of solids from previous experimentation to this activity which they investigate the density of liquids. They work in small groups to mix water and syrup, and water and oil to see what occurs....
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Liquids in Bottles
Students investigate different liquids to develop their concept of a liquid. They work at a center to tip, swirl, shake, roll, and otherwise investigate seven liquids in small, clear plastic bottles: plain water, corn syrup, liquid...
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Cody's Science Education Zone
Students observe a scientific experiment and pose a hypothesis. In this scientific inquiry lesson, students make predictions about the combination of alcohol in water and how it will affect a floating ice cube.
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Density Lab Activities
Young scholars participate in several density lab activities in order to clarify the misconceptions that solids sink and liquids float. Students work with triple beam balances to find mass of objects to calculate density.
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Mystery Canisters
For this density worksheet, students modify three film canisters in order to make one float in a tank of water, another suspend in the middle of the tank, and the third should sink to the bottom. They collect data on their canisters and...
Reach Out!
Paper Clip Sailing
Students explain that some things can float on top of water because of what we call "surface tension." They see that if something happens to disturb these water molecules from tugging on each other, the skin-like surface breaks up.
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Making Predictions
First graders write with his or her pencil on a worksheet created by the teacher his or her prediction of whether each part of a pumpkin will sink or float. They drop each of five objects in the water one at a time allowing enough time...
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Exploring the Properties of Matter in the Preschool
Students study the properties of the physical and natural world. In this properties of the physical and natural world lesson, preschool students work at discovery tables to see how simple machines work, what happens when items are put...
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Science: Different Levels of Density
Students observe experiments in density and describe the results. In the experiment, milk, corn syrup, and oil are added in different orders to three glasses, while one other glass contains only water. As objects are dropped into each...
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Chemistry: The Case of the Sunken Ice Cube
Students examine a density demonstration involving ice cubes and beakers of water and alcohol. After observing how one ice cube floats in water and sinks in alcohol, they determine which mixture of the two would suspend the ice cube in...
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8th Grade Earth Science: Density
Students draw upon their prior knowledge of the density of water and practice writing a hypothesis, making an observation, and analyzing data while watching a density demonstration.
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Activity #8 Simulation of Oil Spills
Students conduct an experiment to simulate an oil spill and identify the characteristics of oil in water. They evaluate the effectiveness of various cleanup methods. They discuss the how to clean up an oil spill, and what causes oil...
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Science Lesson #2
Fourth graders explore and experiment with objects that float to see if they float differently in salt water or fresh water. After the experiment, they write a paragraph in their science journal explaining how fresh water and ocean water...
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The Buoyancy Factor
Students examine why some objects float in water while others sink and the ability of something to float does not depend entirely on its weight. Archimedes' principle is introduced and buoyant force is discussed. Practice calculations...
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Trash Traits: Marine Debris, Litter, Ecology, Oceans
Students perform experiments to examine whether trash can float, blow around, or wash away. The effects of these characteristics on the presence of marine debris in the environment are then discussed.
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Learning Lesson: Salt 'n Lighter
Students participate in a demonstration showing that as salinity increases density increases as well. They also examine the different densities of air. They discuss the amount of water displaced by large ships.
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Activity #16 Dancing Spagehetti
Students experiment with floating the spaghetti, the gas functions like a life preserver. Pupils comprehend that a person is slightly more dense than water. They comprehend that a life preservers are made of low-density materials. The...
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Introduction to Density
Seventh graders define density in their own words. In this physics lesson, 7th graders solve density problems using its mathematical formula. They explain why some objects flow and some sink.
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Condiment Diver
Students create a Cartesian diver out of a bottle of water and a condiment packet (soy sauce, ketchup, etc.) They observe what happens to the packet as they squeeze the bottle and determine which types of condiment packets make the best...
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Floaters and Sinkers
Fifth graders define density as the amount of mass per volume a material contains, compare the densities of several types of materials, especially those that sink in water compared to those that float. They use two different methods to...
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Investigating Density: Heavy Ice
Students end up learning the formula for density and calculate the densities of various materials, and predict if they sink or float.
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Science: Exploration Tubs
First graders develop skills of scientific inquiry. They determine which objects float and which sink.