Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Mn Step: Solid and Liquid Density Investigation

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
For this activity, young scholars investigate whether objects and liquids float or sink when placed in water. As they proceed, they will develop an understanding of what density is. Student handouts are provided.
Activity
American Chemical Society

Inquiry in Action: Comparing the Density of Different Liquids

For Teachers 9th - 10th
How do the densities of vegetable oil, water, and corn syrup help them to form layers in a cup? Students will carefully pour vegetable oil, water, and corn syrup in any order into a cup and discover that regardless of the order they are...
Activity
American Chemical Society

Inquiry in Action: Changing the Density of a Liquid: Adding Salt

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students will see that a carrot slice sinks in fresh water and floats in saltwater. Considering the placement of the carrot slice in water and salt water, students will infer that the density of salt water must be...
Activity
American Chemical Society

Inquiry in Action: Changing the Density of a Liquid: Heating and Cooling

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students will investigate whether the temperature of water affects its density. Students will place colored hot and cold water in a cup of room-temperature water to see that cold water sinks while hot water floats. Then...
Unit Plan
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanography Institute: Activity: Demo for Density

For Students 9th - 10th
In this experiment, students look at Deep Hypersaline Anoxic Basins, or DHABs, that are present in the Eastern Mediterranean, and make a model of a DHAB to investigate how liquids that have different densities can form layers. This...
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Comparing Liquid Density

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Because different liquids have different properties, density also differs. In this lesson plan from the Illinois Institute of Technology, students will calculate densities of water, dish-washing detergent, cooking oil, and other liquids.
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Middle School Chemistry: Density: Sink and Float for Liquids

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students determine whether a liquid will sink or float in water by comparing its density to the density of water.
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Density Column Lab Part 2

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Concluding a two-part lab activity, students use triple balance beams and graduated cylinders to take measurements and calculate densities of several household liquids and compare them to the densities of irregularly shaped objects (as...
Activity
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Layering Liquids

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
A lab activity to show students how different densities of liquid layer on top of each other by using four different colored liquids that contain different levels of salinity. This activity can also be used in an ocean unit where...
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Density & Miscibility

For Teachers 7th - 9th
After students conduct the two associated activities, Density Column Lab - Parts 1 and 2, present this lesson plan to provide them with an understanding of why the density column's oil, water and syrup layers do not mix and how the...
Interactive
Chemistry Collective

Chem Collective: Identifying an Unknown Liquid From Its Density

For Students 9th - 10th
In this activity, students use the virtual lab to design an experiment to determine the identity of mislabeled bottles using the densities of the solutions inside.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Stacking Liquids

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this science activity, you will stack several liquids, one by one, and create a colorful density column.
Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Klutz Proof Density Column

For Students 9th - 10th
An activity to help you create a density column that contains layers of liquids that are separated by different densities.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Exploring the Properties of Liquids, With an Emphasis on Density

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Students experiment with liquids; comparing and contrasting, and creating a density tower leading to a beginning understanding of density.
Graphic
American Chemical Society

Middle School Chemistry: Density Sink and Float for Liquids

For Students 9th - 10th
See how different liquids can have different densities depending on their molecular make-up.
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Density Rainbow and the Great Viscosity Race

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explore the densities and viscosities of fluids as they create a colorful 'rainbow' using household liquids. While letting the fluids in the rainbow settle, students conduct 'The Great Viscosity Race,' another short experiment...
Activity
Science is Fun

Science Is Fun: Layered Liquids

For Students 4th - 8th
An investigation into what properties liquids have that enable them to sit in separate layers in a container.
Activity
Science is Fun

Science Fun: Layered Liquids

For Students 9th - 10th
This experiment allows you to dramatically demonstrate the different densities of five different common household liquids.
Activity
Energy4Me

Energy4me: Understanding Density

For Students 2nd - 6th
This activity explores the property of density in a variety of liquids and solids.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Floating Foods and Underwater Eruptions: An Exploration of Density

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore the concept of density by investigating how several solids and liquids interact. Through hands-on activities and a teacher demonstration, they develop a greater understanding of density by using their observational...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Discovering Density Through Lava Lamps

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students first predict, then mix several liquids and then add salt to the mix, simulating a lava lamp.
Activity
Other

Lapeer County Schools Science Resources: Density Lab

For Students 9th - 10th
A simple lab experiment for students to find the density of two solids and a liquid (does not use water displacement). Note that number 1d should not state "weighs" since mass is being found.
Handout
Simon Fraser University

Chem1 Virtual Textbook: Densities of Substances and Materials

For Students 9th - 10th
As part of a larger site called "Getting started in Chemistry," this site examines various topics related to the densities of substances and materials. Included in the study are properties of solids, liquids and gases, and how density is...
Activity
Michigan Reach Out

Reach Out Michigan: Are All Liquids the Same

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
This experiment demonstrates the density of selected liquids.

Other popular searches