Interactive simulations for science teaching
400 downloadable interactive simulations
Sink or float ?
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- Summary
- Archimede's principle: an object immersed in fluid is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
You can choose between water or alcohol for the testing liquid. Materials that are less dense than the testing liquid will float.
The density of (fresh) water is 1.0 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3) and alcohol is about 0.8 g/cm3.
If you consider the following densities:
- ice is 0.9 g/cm3
- walnut is 0.5 g/cm3
- stone is 2 g/cm3
Safety precaution: alcohol is a flammable liquid; keep away from all flames.
- Learning objectives
- To classify objects according to whether they sink or float.
- To introduce the notion of density (middle school)
- To teach that a floating body displaces a volume of fluid equal in mass to the mass of the body
- How to use the animation
- Click on an object to select it and immerse it in water or in alcohol.
- Keywords
- density, archimedes, buoyancy, alcohol, water
- Share your ideas with us!
- Share your ideas with us!