| It Floats! |
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| Helping Your Child Learn Science |
We don't usually stop to wonder why a big cruise ship can float as well as a feather. This activity helps to explain.
What you'll need
- 1 solid wood building block
- 1 plastic cap from a bottle
- 2 pieces of aluminum foil (heavy duty if you have it)
- 1 chunk of clay
Grown-up alert!
- 1 pair of pliers
- 1 bathtub (or sink) filled with water
- Your science journal
What to do
- Hold the wood block in one hand and the plastic cap in the other hand.
- Which one feels heavier?
Do you think the wooden block will float, or will it sink?
Will the plastic cap float, or sink? - Put both of them on the water to test your predictions. What happens? Put both of them under the water. What happens now?
- Take a piece of aluminum foil and squeeze it into a solid ball with the pliers. Drop it in the water. Does it float or sink?
- Get another piece the same size and shape it into a little boat. Place it on top of the water. Does it float now?
- Try the same experiment with clay. Make a ball and drop it in the water. What happens?
- Shape the clay into a boat and put it on the water. Does it float now?
The clay and foil balls sink because they are squeezed into small shapes, and only a small amount of water is trying to hold up the weight. When you spread out the clay or foil, it floats because the weight is supported by a lot more water.
Courtesy of Education Publications Center
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