Curated OER
Making "Cents" of Surface Tension
Students explore the unique behaviors of water. They investigate surface tension using water drops on a penny and pennies dropped in a cup.
Curated OER
Surface Tension (Soap Boat)
Young scholars investigate the affect of soap and water temperature on surface tension.
Curated OER
Surface Tension
Students study surface tension and determine if soap and heat will affect surface tension. In this tension lesson students complete a lab, make a hypothesis and answer questions.
Curated OER
Blow the Best Bubbles
Here is an exciting, and meaningful science lesson on the formation of bubbles! Young scientists have three cups with a variety of solutions in them. One cup has detergent only, one has glycerin added to it, and the third has corn syrup...
Curated OER
Water Wonders
Young scholars measure the amount of surface tension using a balance scale after a classroom demonstration students diagram the appearance of several liquids and label them.
Teach Engineering
Capillarity – Measuring Surface Tension
How do cohesion and adhesion work together? The third installment of a nine-part series teaches young scientists the difference between adhesion and cohesion. They also learn how cohesion and adhesion work together to cause capillary...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
How Dry am I? Exploring Biomimicry and Nanotechnology
Help your classes feel like they can walk on water! An engaging inquiry-based lesson has young scholars experiment with different surface coatings. They make observations about their properties and how they relate to the surface tension...
Curated OER
Water Wonders
Students experiment with the cohesion of water molecules. For this surface tension lesson, students estimate how many drops of water a full glass can take before overflowing. They watch a video that explains water molecules.
Curated OER
Let's Get Fizzical
Students investigate surface tension in water. In this water molecules and surface tension lesson, students observe 3 demonstrations to show how water molecules are attracted to one another, how soap reduces the surface tension in water...
Curated OER
Molecular Forces at Work: Creating Soap Bubbles
Students investigate adhesion, cohesion and surface tension. In this molecular forces lesson plan, students observe multiple demonstrations that show surface tension, the attraction of water molecules to each other and the ability of...
Curated OER
Water
Students conduct a series of investigations on the unique properties of water. In this general science lesson, students explain what causes water's surface tension. They explain the different stages in the water cycle.
Curated OER
The Chemistry of Bigger Bubbles
Fourth graders explore properties of bubbles. In this lesson about bubbles, 4th graders perform an experiment. Students analyze the properties of bubble making substances and surface tension. Students create a square bubble. Students...
Curated OER
Wet Pennies
Learners conduct a simple test to determine how many drops of water, rubbing alcohol and vegetable oil can be placed on a penny before spilling over. They consider how varying surface tensions allow for different amounts of each liquid...
Curated OER
Bubble and Boyle
Middle-schoolers still enjoy playing with bubbles! In this series of eight laboratory activities, science learners explore convex and concave surfaces, angles, gas laws, buoyancy, density and more!
Urbana School District
Fluids
In 1879, Sir William Crookes discovered the fourth state of matter, plasma. The presentation covers states of matter, phase changes, density, pressure Pascal's Principle, buoyant force, Archimedes' Principle, Bernoulli's Principle,...
SRI International
Science of Water
Water is crucial to survival. Scholars gain an appreciation for water by reading about it, learning about its atomic properties, and investigating its properties through six stations in a lab activity.
Curated OER
Surface Tension of Water
First graders observe the surface tension of water. In this water properties lesson, the teacher defines surface tension, then guides students through eight experiment that illustrate surface tension.
Curated OER
Drops on a Penny
In this surface tension worksheet, students predict how many drops of water they can put on a coin. They test their hypothesis and repeat their experiment three times. They record their data and average their trials.
University of Waikato
Investigating Bubbles
Bubbles are not always trouble. Pupils investigate surface tension in water and bubble mixtures by blowing bubbles and recording observations. Learners then create bubble wands of different shapes from pipe cleaners and observe the shape...
American Chemical Society
Developing Tests to Distinguish Between Similar-Looking Liquids
Each group talks about how to test unknown liquids based on their findings in the previous experiment. In this second of four activities, they test unknowns on wax paper, newspaper, and construction paper. As a stand-alone, this lesson...
Curated OER
Science Experiments
Students do a series of three experiments. In the first experiment, the students work with a partner to protect an egg from a 12 foot drop. In the second experiment, the students investigate static electricity using balloons and yarn. ...
Curated OER
Surface Tension-Driven Flows
Students learn how surface tension changes can cause fluids to flow.
Curated OER
Surface Tension Grabbers
High schoolers explore why surface tension is such a very important biological concept. Determination is made on why the myriad of biota that interacts at the air-water interface are vital components of aquatic and marine ecosystems....
Curated OER
Surface Tension
Students examine the concept of surface tension. In this surface tension lesson students complete several experiments to allow them to better understand surface tension.