by, Nikki Pierce
This is a wonderful experiment to help students better understand the properties and concept of density!
There can often
be a lot of confusion about density. Even though 2 objects may
have the same amount of material, 1 may be more dense than the other
depending on the material it is made of.
Density: "The amount of material that takes up a certain amount of space. The more material that you have in a particular space, the more dense that material is" (WonderScience, 236).
Materials that are more dense than water will sink in water.
Materials that are less dense than water will float in water.
Let's find the densities of these 3 fluids the build our own density tower!!!
Density: "The amount of material that takes up a certain amount of space. The more material that you have in a particular space, the more dense that material is" (WonderScience, 236).
Materials that are more dense than water will sink in water.
Materials that are less dense than water will float in water.
Let's find the densities of these 3 fluids the build our own density tower!!!
Lesson Plan: "Density Tower"
Grade Level: Grade 2
California State Standards:
Science as Inquiry: Make and test predictions. Develop explanations about why objects sink or float.
Content Standard A: As a result of activities, all students should develop
- Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
- Understandings about scientific inquiry
Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter: Students will learn what density is and how it can be used to separate different substances in a mixture.
Content Standard B: As a rescult of activities, all students should develop an
- Understandings of properties and changes in properties in matter.
Objectives: To introduce the concept of density. Even though two objects have the same amount of material, one can be more dense if it occupies a smaller space in one than the other.
Materials: 4 cups, measuring cup 1/3, water, corn syrup, vegetable oil, food coloring, worksheets (cup chart), and spoons (stirrers).
Instructions:
Place 1/3 cup of water in 1st cup, and 1/3 cup of water into 2nd cup.
Add blue food coloring to the water so it can be easily been seen.
Add 1/3 cup of corn syrup to the 1st cup.
Add 1/3 cup of vegetable oil to the 2nd cup.
*What do you observe about the 2 cups?
*Is the corn syrup above or below the water?
*Is the vegetable oil above or below the water?
Record your observations in the cup chart.
*What do you think will happen if we put corn syrup and vegetable oil in the 3rd cup?
Place 1/3 cup of vegetable oil in the 3rd cup.
Add red food coloring to the vegetable oil so it is visible.
Place 1/3 cup of corn syrup to the 3rd cup.
*Was your prediction correct?
Record your observations in the cup chart.
Now we have the knowledge of the density of these 3 fluids to make a density tower!
Add 1/3 cup of the most dense flui to the cup, followed by the next dense, and lastly by the least dense fluid.
(you should have a tower of corn syrup, then water, then vegetable oil!) :)
Since the corn syrup is more dense than the water, it sank to the bottom of the cup.
Since the vegetable oil is less dense than the water, it floated above the water in the cup.
The cup should have 3 levels: corn syrup, water, and vegetable oil :)
Since the vegetable oil is less dense than the water, it floated above the water in the cup.
The cup should have 3 levels: corn syrup, water, and vegetable oil :)
Citations:
The Best of Wonder-Science. American Institute of Physics. Australia, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, United States: Thomson Wasdworth, 1997. 235-238.
The Best of Wonder-Science. American Institute of Physics. Australia, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, United States: Thomson Wasdworth, 1997. 235-238.