In this investigation students will find the density of several items. In their "goodie" container there will be specifically a set of items that have the same shape and size and a set of items that have the same mass along with other assorted items for a total of fifteen items.
After finding the density of all the items, students will make a data for all their items. The data table will include the name of the item, its mass, its volume and its density, all with proper labels.
They will also make two separate date tables for their "special items" including the item's name, mass, volume and density. They will give each data table a name.
Using the information for the first data table, they will answer the following:
1. Why do these items have the same volume?
2. Do these items have the same mass and density? Why or
why not?
3. From your answers in questions one and two and by
looking at your data table, what conclusions can you
draw about the relationship between mass and density
if the volume is the same for several different
objects?
4. What can you infer about these items and their
relationship to the density of water?
Using the information from the second data table, they will answer the following:
1. Why do these items have the same mass?
2. Do these items have the same volume and density? Why
or why not?
3. From your answers in questions one and two and by
looking at your data table, what conclusions can you
draw about the relationship between volume and density
if the mass is the same for several different objects?
4. What can you infer about these items and their
relationship to the density of water?
Students will also do a "reality check" with all their
items to see if the actual physical line up of the items roughly agrees with the density they have calulated. If not, they will have to figure out where their errors occured.
I use this lab prior to introducing plate tectonics and
plate boundaries. This way students have a "hands on" experience with the concept of density and can better understand why plates move the way they do. It also helps with understanding volcanoes and their workings, such as types of eruptions and lava flows.
After finding the density of all the items, students will make a data for all their items. The data table will include the name of the item, its mass, its volume and its density, all with proper labels.
They will also make two separate date tables for their "special items" including the item's name, mass, volume and density. They will give each data table a name.
Using the information for the first data table, they will answer the following:
1. Why do these items have the same volume?
2. Do these items have the same mass and density? Why or
why not?
3. From your answers in questions one and two and by
looking at your data table, what conclusions can you
draw about the relationship between mass and density
if the volume is the same for several different
objects?
4. What can you infer about these items and their
relationship to the density of water?
Using the information from the second data table, they will answer the following:
1. Why do these items have the same mass?
2. Do these items have the same volume and density? Why
or why not?
3. From your answers in questions one and two and by
looking at your data table, what conclusions can you
draw about the relationship between volume and density
if the mass is the same for several different objects?
4. What can you infer about these items and their
relationship to the density of water?
Students will also do a "reality check" with all their
items to see if the actual physical line up of the items roughly agrees with the density they have calulated. If not, they will have to figure out where their errors occured.
I use this lab prior to introducing plate tectonics and
plate boundaries. This way students have a "hands on" experience with the concept of density and can better understand why plates move the way they do. It also helps with understanding volcanoes and their workings, such as types of eruptions and lava flows.
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