Name:dorian

Directions: Fill out the chart below based on the simulation found at
http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/density-and-buoyancy/density_en.html
once finished continue on to the questions. In order to find out the mystery box you need to
weigh the box on the scale to find the mass in kilograms. Then you need to find how much
water was displaced. So subtract the starting amount of liters to the end amount of liters.
Remember to divide kilograms by liters and you shall receive the number to determine what the
mystery box is. Click on the show table to find the kg/L and the material. Type in the material
into the box labeled what is the mystery box.
Color
What occurs to
the water
displacement?
(Does the water
rise if so by how
many liters?) Blue
Does the box
float or sink?
How would you
describe its
density? (Does it
more dense than
the water
therefore it sank
or is it less
dense than
water and
floated?) Blue

Same Mass

5 liters

it sinks

Same Volume

Same Density

What is the
Mystery box?

starting point is
3 lL floats
100L
ending
point=105l
water
displacement=5L

.64 lL floasts

starting point is

it floats

floats

Same Density

What is the
Mystery box?

ending point
displacement

What occurs to
the water
displacement
with - Yellow
Does the box
float or sink?
How would you
describe its
density? - Yellow
Color

Same Mass

Same Volume

What occurs to
the water
displacement
with - Green
Does the box
float or sink?
How would you
describe its
density? - Green
What occurs to
the water
displacement
with - Red
Does the box
float or sink?
How would you
describe its
density? - Red
1
Extra credit: What is the purple mystery box?
Exit Ticket:
Would it sink or float in
water that is 1 kg/L

Mass

Volume

Density

10kg

10 L

1 kg/L

15kg

45 L

3 kg/L

2L

2kg/L

3kg

4L

If you finish early please continue on to Thursdays and Fridays work. (Hint you may see these
questions in an upcoming test so you may want to write this down in your notebook.)

Practice Questions
1. Which answer provides ALL the information you need to predict whether an object will float in
a liquid?
a. the densities of both the object and the liquid
b. the density of the object and the volume of the
liquid

c. the masses of both the object and the liquid

d. the volumes of both the object and the liquid
2. What is the upward force on a swimmer that balances the downward force of gravity and
keeps the swimmer from sinking?
A. atmospheric pressure
C. Density
B. buoyant force
D. Pascal

Liquid

Density

Water

1 g/ml

Corn Syrup

1.33 g/ml

Oil

0.92 g/ml

Rubbing Alcohol

0.79 g/ml

Dish Soap

1.06 g/ml

Use the graph above to answer questions 3 through 5.

3. A cube with a density of 0.86 g/ml will sink in which liquid?
4. A cube with a density of 1.03 g/ml will float in which liquid?
5. What is the density of a cube with a mass of 70 g and a volume of 100ml? Will it sink or float
in water?
Use the chart below to answer question number 6.

6. The following table shows properties of four different sample materials.

Which one of these materials is cork, a type of wood that floats in water,
(1g/ml)? (HINT: Find the density of each sample)
the answer is 3