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...
Teach Engineering
Penny Perfect Properties (Solid-Liquid Interations)
I can get more water to stay on a penny than you can! Collaborative pairs determine the volume of liquids that can be contained on the surface of copper pennies and plastic coins. The pairs analyze their results using graphs and go on to...
Curated OER
Drops on a Penny
In this surface tension activity, 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
Walking Magic
Students investigate surface tension using water striders. In this inquiry lesson, students develop a researchable question about the topic. They explain the environmental consequences of lowering water surface tension.
Curated OER
Surface Tension-Driven Flows
Students learn how surface tension changes can cause fluids to flow.
Curated OER
Surface Tension Grabbers
Students 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
Propel a Toy Boat with Chemicals
A simple cardboard or plastic boat is propelled across the surface of water when the surface tension is disrupted by adding detergent. Once youngsters see this in action, explain about the properties of water that make it possilbe:...
Curated OER
Surface Tension
Students examine the concept of surface tension. In this surface tension lesson students complete several experiments to allow them to better understand surface tension.
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
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...
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...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan of a Thematic Project - Water
Sixth graders investigate the properties of water. In this life science activity, 6th graders create a concept map of water. They share their work with the class.
American Chemical Society
Developing Tests to Distinguish Between Similar-Looking Liquids
Each group talks about how to test unknown liquids based on their findings in the previous experiment. In this second of four activities, they test unknowns on wax paper, newspaper, and construction paper. As a stand-alone, this lesson...
Teach Engineering
Superhydrophobicity – The Lotus Effect
Discover and demonstrate the Lotus Effect and superhydrophobic surfaces with the eighth installment of a nine-part series that teaches scholars about surfaces that exhibit superhydrophobicity. The lesson continues also describes...
Teach Engineering
Exploring the Lotus Effect
The Lotus Effect ... is it not some kind of yoga pose. In the last installment of a nine-part series, young scientists observe the Lotus Effect on lotus leaves and water-repellent cloths. They observe how motion and damage affect the...
Curated OER
Surface Water and Groundwater
Students examine distribution of water and minerals. In this surface and groundwater lesson, students conduct an experiment with fresh and salt water making hypothesis and drawing conclusions about minerals.
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.
Teach Engineering
Investigating Contact Angle
Discover the properties of water-loving and water-hating surfaces. In the seventh installment of a nine-part series, scholars explore hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces by conducting an experiment. They observe surface coatings,...
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
Liquids and Gases
In this liquids and gases learning exercise, students will review the basic characteristics of water including surface tension and evaporation. This learning exercise has 1 fill in the blank and 6 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Science Experiments
Students do a series of three experiments. In the first experiment, the students work with a partner to protect an egg from a 12 foot drop. In the second experiment, the students investigate static electricity using balloons and yarn. ...
Curated OER
How Many Drops?
Seventh graders hypothesize about the number of drops of liquid that can be placed on a penny before it spills over. They examine both the concept of devising a hypothesis and the idea of surface tension. They determine the difference...
American Chemical Society
Evaporation Sensation
Where did the water go? Learners conduct an experiment to see how the difference in temperature affects evaporation rates. Scholars continue to investigate evaporation by comparing water and alcohol evaporation rates. Pupils experiment...
Curated OER
Pepper Scatter
Young scholars discover the forces that affect the surface tension of water. In this surface tension lesson plan, students use pepper, soap, and liquid detergent to discover the forces.