Name: Samantha Simmon Date: 3/8/21
Student Exploration: Density Laboratory
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the questions and
prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: buoyancy, density, graduated cylinder, mass, matter, scale, volume
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. Of the objects below, circle (✏) the ones you think would float in water. Click on the image and select EDIT
to use the drawing tool.
The cruise ship and the beach ball will float
2.
W
hy do some objects float, while others sink?
Some things float while others sink due to the density of the object. An object's density that
is greater than water, will sink.
Gizmo Warm-up
The Density Laboratory Gizmo allows you to measure a variety of objects, then drop
them in water (or other liquid) to see if they sink or float.
1. An object’s mass is the amount of matter it contains. Mass can be measured with a
calibrated scale like the one shown in the Gizmo. Drag the first object onto the
Scale. (This is object 1.)
What is the mass of object 1? 19.5g
2. An object’s volume is the amount of space it takes up. The volume of an irregular object can be measured
by how much water it displaces in a graduated cylinder.
A. What is the initial volume of water in the cylinder? 0.0 mL
B. Place object 1 into the cylinder. What is the volume in the cylinder now? 14.2 cm^3
C. What is the volume of the object? 14.0mL
Note: While milliliters (mL) are used to measure liquid volumes, the equivalent unit cubic centimeters (cm3) are
used for solids. Therefore, write the volume of object 1 in cm3.
, Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
● Drag object 1 back to the shelf.
Float or sink?
● Check that Liquid density is set to 1.0 g/mL.
Question: How can you predict whether an object will float or sink?
1. Observe: Experiment with the different objects in the Gizmo. Observe the mass and volume of each object,
then drag it into the Beaker of liquid to see if it floats or sinks. (Notice a pin holds objects in the graduated
cylinder, whether they sink or float.) Try to determine what the floating objects have in common and what
the sinking objects have in common.
2. Form hypothesis: Compare the floating objects, then do the same for the sinking objects.
A. What do the floating objects have in common? The objects that float have either a large surface
area or are lightweight.
B. What do the sinking objects have in common? The sinking objects are heavy or have a small
surface area.
3. Collect data: Measure the mass and volume of objects 1 through 12, and record whether they float or sink
in the table below. Leave the last column blank for now.
Object Mass (g) Volume (cm3) Float or sink? Density (g/cm3)
1 19.5 g 14.0 ml sink 1.39 (g/cm3)
2 11.0 g 9.0 ml sink 1.22 (g/cm3)
3 4.0 g 5.0 ml float 0.8 (g/cm3)
4 135.0 g 7.0 ml sink 19.28 (g/cm3)
5 4.0 g 3.5 ml sink 1.14 (g/cm3)
6 78.0 g 29.0 ml sink 2.68 (g/cm3)
7 2.0 g 21.0 ml float 0.09 (g/cm3)
8 24.0 g 26.0 ml float 0.92 (g/cm3)
9 99.0 g 44.0 ml sink 2.25 (g/cm3)
10 42.0 g 61.0 ml float 0.68 (g/cm3)
11 65.0 g 40.0 ml sink 1.62 (g/cm3)
12 104.0 g 114.0 ml float 0.91 (g/cm3)
4. Analyze: Look carefully for patterns in your data.
Student Exploration: Density Laboratory
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the questions and
prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: buoyancy, density, graduated cylinder, mass, matter, scale, volume
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. Of the objects below, circle (✏) the ones you think would float in water. Click on the image and select EDIT
to use the drawing tool.
The cruise ship and the beach ball will float
2.
W
hy do some objects float, while others sink?
Some things float while others sink due to the density of the object. An object's density that
is greater than water, will sink.
Gizmo Warm-up
The Density Laboratory Gizmo allows you to measure a variety of objects, then drop
them in water (or other liquid) to see if they sink or float.
1. An object’s mass is the amount of matter it contains. Mass can be measured with a
calibrated scale like the one shown in the Gizmo. Drag the first object onto the
Scale. (This is object 1.)
What is the mass of object 1? 19.5g
2. An object’s volume is the amount of space it takes up. The volume of an irregular object can be measured
by how much water it displaces in a graduated cylinder.
A. What is the initial volume of water in the cylinder? 0.0 mL
B. Place object 1 into the cylinder. What is the volume in the cylinder now? 14.2 cm^3
C. What is the volume of the object? 14.0mL
Note: While milliliters (mL) are used to measure liquid volumes, the equivalent unit cubic centimeters (cm3) are
used for solids. Therefore, write the volume of object 1 in cm3.
, Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
● Drag object 1 back to the shelf.
Float or sink?
● Check that Liquid density is set to 1.0 g/mL.
Question: How can you predict whether an object will float or sink?
1. Observe: Experiment with the different objects in the Gizmo. Observe the mass and volume of each object,
then drag it into the Beaker of liquid to see if it floats or sinks. (Notice a pin holds objects in the graduated
cylinder, whether they sink or float.) Try to determine what the floating objects have in common and what
the sinking objects have in common.
2. Form hypothesis: Compare the floating objects, then do the same for the sinking objects.
A. What do the floating objects have in common? The objects that float have either a large surface
area or are lightweight.
B. What do the sinking objects have in common? The sinking objects are heavy or have a small
surface area.
3. Collect data: Measure the mass and volume of objects 1 through 12, and record whether they float or sink
in the table below. Leave the last column blank for now.
Object Mass (g) Volume (cm3) Float or sink? Density (g/cm3)
1 19.5 g 14.0 ml sink 1.39 (g/cm3)
2 11.0 g 9.0 ml sink 1.22 (g/cm3)
3 4.0 g 5.0 ml float 0.8 (g/cm3)
4 135.0 g 7.0 ml sink 19.28 (g/cm3)
5 4.0 g 3.5 ml sink 1.14 (g/cm3)
6 78.0 g 29.0 ml sink 2.68 (g/cm3)
7 2.0 g 21.0 ml float 0.09 (g/cm3)
8 24.0 g 26.0 ml float 0.92 (g/cm3)
9 99.0 g 44.0 ml sink 2.25 (g/cm3)
10 42.0 g 61.0 ml float 0.68 (g/cm3)
11 65.0 g 40.0 ml sink 1.62 (g/cm3)
12 104.0 g 114.0 ml float 0.91 (g/cm3)
4. Analyze: Look carefully for patterns in your data.
