Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Sinking and Floating Water
An experiment in density where colored water, both hot and cold, are poured into containers of water at room temperature. Students will observe that the warm water rises and the cold water sinks due to their different densities.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Density in Solutions: How Can You Make an Egg Float?
In this activity, young scholars will learn about density by determining how to make an egg float in water. By the end of the lesson, students will understand that density and weight are different and that density matters in floatation....
American Chemical Society
Middle School Chemistry: Density Sink and Float for Liquids
See how different liquids can have different densities depending on their molecular make-up.
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: Mn Step: Sink or Float: All Liquids Do Not Have the Same Density
An experiment in density. After a review of floating and sinking of different materials, students test four bottles, all holding four ounces of water, to see if they will float or sink. They each contain a different density of sugar...
Science is Fun
Science Is Fun: Sinking and Floating Soda Cans
An experiment to determine if either a regular or a diet can of soda will float or sink when placed in water, and what causes this.
Science is Fun
Science Is Fun: Bowling Balls Float or Sink?
In this experiment, you test whether two different bowling balls will float or sink, then determine the density of each of the balls to see if they are less than that of water.
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.
National Association of Geoscience Teachers
Nagt: Density Mystery Canisters
Students experiment with items that sink or float, and learn that water's density is equal to one, and objects/solutions with a density greater than one will sink, and those with a density less than one will float.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Sinking Water: Glaciers, Ocean Currents and Weather Patterns
A lesson 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 when hot or cold,...
PBS
Pbs: Sesame Street: Science
A collection of interactives, videos, and documents on a variety science concepts.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Density of Solid Objects
In this science inquiry, students investigate whether volume or density of objects determine the floating or sinking in water. Using a rock and a block of wood teachers engage students in the discussion of density, mass and volume.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Down With the Clip!
Students see how surface tension can enable light objects (paper clips, peppercorns) to float on an island of oil in water, and subsequently sink when the surface tension of the oil/water interface is reduced by the addition of a...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Floaters and Sinkers
Through this curricular unit, students are introduced to the important concept of density. The focus is on the more easily understood densities of solids, but students may also explore the densities of liquids and gases. Students devise...
American Chemical Society
Middle School Chemistry: Chapter 3: Density
Six interactive chemistry lessons about density complete with handouts and animations.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Solid and Liquid Density Investigation
For this activity, students investigate whether objects and liquids float or sink when placed in water. As they proceed, they will develop an understanding of what density is. Student handouts are provided.
Middle School Science
Mss: Density Demonstration: Coke vs. Diet Coke
In this demonstration, students will brainstorm to find a solution as to why Diet Coke floats and Coke sinks. Through this exercise students will arrive at a definition of density.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Chemistry Simulation: Going Fishing
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students will be able to change the mass and volume of an item and observe if it floats, sinks, or remains at a certain depth in the water. Students will also be able to change the liquid in level 2.