Don't be so dense! Using food coloring, pupils conduct two experiments with the difference in densities of hot and cold water. In the first experiment, learners add dyed hot and cold water into room temperature water and observe how the colors move. The second experiment, scholars stack hot water on top of cold water and observe whether they mix.

Concepts

heat, hot and cold, water, density, water density, heat energy

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Instructional Ideas

• Make the connection to water currents and investigate where the temperatures in the oceans are different

Classroom Considerations

• Requires access to ice and hot water
• One portion of the Adventures in Chemistry Experiments

Pros

• Provides a suggestion to an extension of one experiment
• Contains photos to illustrate the steps in the experiments

Cons

• None