Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Walking on Water How Do Water Striders Do It?
This activity is designed for students to get a first look at water tension. It also allows them to make a model and test a situation seen in nature with materials that are readily available.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Surface Tension
Surface tension accounts for many of the interesting properties we associate with water. By learning about surface tension and adhesive forces, students learn why liquid jets of water break into droplets rather than staying in a...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Tension Racers!
Students see how different levels of surface tension affect water's ability to move. Teams "race" water droplets down tracks made of different materials, making measurements, collecting data, making calculations, graphing results and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Walking on Water How Do Water Striders Do It?
In this interactive demonstration, students investigate surface tension by enabling a paper model of a water strider to stay on the surface of water.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Surface Tension Lab
Students extend their understanding of surface tension by exploring the real-world engineering problem of deciding what makes a "good" soap bubble. Student teams first measure this property, and then use this measurement to determine the...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Water Properties
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] In the following online tutorial students will describe the structure and polarity of a water molecule. They will also describe the hydrogen bonding that occurs in...
American Chemical Society
Middle School Chemistry: Chapter 5: The Water Molecule and Dissolving
Nine exemplary chemistry lessons about the water molecule and dissolving complete with handouts and animations.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Chemistry: Physical Properties of Water
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Covers physical properties of water, hydrogen bonding, surface tension, and vapor pressure.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Floating Metal Pins Discrepant Event/guided Inquiry on Surface Tension
Through a combination of an interactive demonstration and guided inquiry, students learn the basic nature of surface tension in liquids.
TOPS Learning Systems
Tops Learning Systems: Top Science: Water Domes [Pdf]
Investigate the cohesive tension on the surface of water.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Properties of Water
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Students look at the chemical structure of water and learn how it determines water's properties.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Surface Tension Basics
Students are presented with the question: "Why does a liquid jet break up into droplets?" and introduced to its importance in inkjet printers. A discussion of cohesive forces and surface tension is included, as well as surface acting...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Capillarity Measuring Surface Tension
Students are presented with a short lesson on the difference between cohesive forces (the forces that hold water molecules together and create surface tension) and adhesive forces (the forces that causes water to "stick" to solid...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: The Properties of Water: Lesson 4
This lesson will provide an understanding of the chemical and physical nature of water. It is 4 of 4 in the series titled "The Properties of Water."
Sophia Learning
Sophia: The Properties of Water: Lesson 1
This lesson will provide an understanding of the chemical and physical nature of water. It is 1 of 4 in the series titled "The Properties of Water."
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Surface Tension With Soap Film
An investigation into the effect soap has on the surface tension of water. Pupils create three-dimensional shapes using toothpicks and clay, dip them into soapy water, and make observations and formulate questions about the soap film.
Hunkins Experiments
Hunkin's Experiments: Surface Tension
Hunkin's Experiments is a group of simple cartoon illustrations of scientific principles. Some would work well in the classroom, but others have little value beyond entertaining students. All of the projects are easy to do. These two are...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Surface Tension
A simple experiment investigating surface tension and the cohesive property of water, using just water, pepper, and liquid soap.
Education.com
Education.com: Alicia Danyali: Break the Tension: A Water Experiment
[Free Registration/Login Required] Investigate one of water's most important traits, surface tension with this simple experiment that only requires 6 basic household items.
Biology Corner
The Biology Corner How Is the Surface Tension of Water Affected by Soap?
Here is a classic lesson regarding surface tension. This worksheet combines properties of water and the scientific method together for a hands on investigation.
Frostburg State University
Frostberg University: Surface Tension and Droplet Size
Discusses the role of surface tension in determining the size of water droplets. Explanation of why a small amount of liquid in a dropper will never run out.
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: Investigating Contact Angle
Students observe how water acts differently when placed on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. They determine which coatings are best to cause surfaces to shed water quickly or reduce the "fogging" caused by condensation.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Exploring the Lotus Effect
Students test and observe the "self-cleaning" lotus effect using a lotus leaf and cloth treated with a synthetic lotus-like superhydrophobic coating. They also observe the Wenzel and Cassie Baxter wetting states by creating and...