Center for Precollegiate Education and Training
Buoyancy Boats
What did the sea say to the boat? Nothing, it just waved. An inquiry-based activity starts with a simple concept on the Archimedes Principle and challenges pupils to make something out of clay that floats. Then, they...
Curated OER
Archimedes' Principle
Students examine the relationship between density and buoyancy. In this physics instructional activity students use Archimedes' Principle to complete calculations on buoyancy and a lab activity.
Curated OER
Why Cheerios Don't Sink
Students investigate Archimedes' Principle and show how it relates to density. In this Archimedes' Principle lesson plan, students experiment with a beaker of water, a Styrofoam "boat" and a weight. They predict what will happen when the...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Physics Pre-Lab
Students observe fluid motion. In this Physics lesson, students explore the principles of Pascal, Archimedes, and Bernoulli. Students list their experiences with fluid movement.
Curated OER
The Buoyancy Factor
Students examine why some objects float in water while others sink and the ability of something to float does not depend entirely on its weight. Archimedes' principle is introduced and buoyant force is discussed. Practice calculations...
Curated OER
Liquid Pressure
Fifth graders create a Cartesian Diver model made from plastic soap bottle and medicine dropper. In this incompressible liquid instructional activity, 5th graders experiment with jugs of water to demonstrate Pascal's Law, Boyle's...
Curated OER
What Floats Your Boat?
Students discover the Archimedes principle through a buoyancy experiment. They measure the water displacement of a lump a clay which is denser than water then reshape the clay into a bowl which floats but displaces more water.
Curated OER
How Does the USS Alabama Float?
Students investigate buoyancy. In this buoyancy lesson, students apply the Archimedes Principle of Buoyancy to the experiment conducted in class to determine how battleships float.
Curated OER
Staying Up
Young scholars will explain the Archimedes's Principle. In this lesson on plankton, students will describe three factors that can affect the buoyancy of plankton. This lesson contains extensive background information, extensions, and...
Curated OER
Properties of Matter
Learners describe four states of matter and their characteristics, explain thermal expansion of matter, interpret state changes in terms of kinetic theory of matter, explain relationship between temperature and volume of a gas, state...
Curated OER
Float Your Boat
Students investigate buoyancy, displacement and density. In this flotation lesson students study the Archimedes' Principle, analyze data and draw conclusions.
Florida International University
Simulating Microgravity with Buoyancy
How do astronauts know how to live and work in a weightless environment? It doesn't come naturally! Junior physicists conduct experiments to examine the link between buoyancy and microgravity. Each activity illustrates a different aspect...
Curated OER
Density Challenge
Students calculate the densities of several liquids that appear similar. In this physical science instructional activity, students go beyond understanding the way liquids of different densities behave to researching how this...