Sink or Float Experiment
A delightful and educational hands-on activity that teaches children about density and buoyancy through play with various objects in water.
Ingredients
Materials Needed
- 1 unit Clear container or tub Such as a large bowl
- 1 container Water
- variety items Small objects (e.g., rocks, plastic toys, coins, apples, paper clips, etc.) Ensure a mix of different densities
- 1 unit Towel For any spills
- 1 sheet Recording sheet Optional for recording predictions and results
Instructions
Preparation
- Choose a flat surface and lay down a towel to catch any spills.
- Place the clear container or tub on the surface and fill it with water halfway.
Setup and Testing
- Collect a variety of small items to test, focusing on materials with different densities.
- Before testing, ask the child to predict whether each object will sink or float and record these predictions on the recording sheet.
- One at a time, carefully place each object in the water and observe the object's behavior.
- After testing, note which objects sank and which floated, and discuss the results.
Clean Up
- Dispose of any wet objects appropriately and wipe down the workspace.
Notes
For variations, use different sizes, shapes, and materials like metal, wood, and fabric. Consider using a larger container for bigger objects and timing how long objects stay afloat for added fun.