Density Webquest
Background Information:
Density is a measure of the number of particles of “stuff” that are inside a certain space. Think of an elevator. The amount of space inside the elevator is the same – it never shrinks or expands. As people get on the elevator, the density increases, because there are more people in the same space.
The density of water is 1.0 grams per milliliter. If something has a density less than 1.0, it will float on water. If something has a density greater than 1.0, it will sink in water.
The math formula for calculating density is density = mass / volume
Activity Instructions:
Play a density guessing game and practice your math. Click on the link below to get to a fun interactive site. (click on the “skip advertisement link” on the right)
On a sheet of lined paper, print your first and last name and period number in the upper right corner. Draw a “jar” (like the one on the screen) on the first few lines of the paper.
For each one of the objects on the screen, drag and drop onto the gray scale to find the mass and record it on your sheet. Then drag and drop the object into the graduated cylinder to find the volume. Record this number also and “plug into” your math formula for density. Do some quick calculations in your head (or use the calculator on the computer) to find the density. Then drag and drop the item into the jar to see if you were correct.
Remember: greater than 1.0 sinks
less than 1.0 floats
When you are done, you should have the density of every object calculated, and a copy of your jar drawn on your lined paper. Please label your objects in the jar and your density calculations, eg. “red triangle.”
Turn in the lined paper for 20 points.
Ready for some fun? Control-Click here
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