Name: Daniel Marquez, Sofia Montoya Date ____________________________

Buoyancy and Density Activity

Directions: Go to the following website to use an interactive simulation to work

with buoyancy and density.

http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/density-and-buoyancy/buoyancy_en.html

Procedure:

Getting Familiar

1. On the Intro screen, mess with the apparatus, changing the blocks, observing
what happens when the mass, volume and densities are held constant.
2. Check and uncheck the boxes under “Show Forces” to see where they act.

Intro: Give a brief description of what the relationship is between mass, volume
and density of each object and how it affects whether the object will sink or float.

Lab Setup

1. Click over to the Buoyancy Playground and begin the lab.

2. There are 5 different fluids to choose from in the lab and five different types
of materials. (Styrofoam, wood, ice, brick and aluminum)
3. Use the table supplied to organize your work.

Lab Procedure: Part 1

1. In each of the scenarios below, determine first, by predicting, whether the

object will sink or float. Use a mass of 4.5 kg.
2. Test each object once you have predicted and record the results.

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Part 1: Write an “S” for sink or an “F” for float. Predictions first!!

Air Gasoline Olive Oil Water Honey

Pred. Act. Pred. Act. Pred. Act. Pred. Act. Pred. Act.

Styrofoam S S F F S F S F F F

Wood S S S F S F F F F F

Ice S S S S S F F F F F

Brick S S F S S S S S S S

Aluminu S S S S F S S S F S
m

Lab Procedure: Part 2

1. For each of the objects, determine the density at which it sinks in kg/L.
2. Use a mass of 4.5 kg.
3. List this value in the table.

Air Gasoline Olive Oil Water Honey

Styrofoam 0 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3

Wood 0 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8

Ice 0 0 0 0 0

Brick 0 0 0 0 0

Aluminum 0 0 0 0 0

Lab Procedure: Part 3

1. In this part of the lab, determine the amount of buoyant force that is acting
on each block of mass 4.5 kg.

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 2.

In general terms, this buoyancy force can be calculated with

the equation Fb = Vs × D × g, where Fb is the buoyancy
force that is acting on the object, Vs is the submerged volume of
the object, D is the density of the fluid the object is submerged in,
and g is the force of gravity.

3. Determine how you will find the amount of buoyant force or “buoyancy.”
Perhaps try using the two scales given in the lab.
4. Record these values in the table below.

Air Gasoline Olive Oil Water Honey

Styrofoam 0 29.40 N 29.40 N 29.40 N 29.40 N

Wood 0 44.10 N 44.10 N 44.10 N 44.10 N

Ice 0 33.59 N 44.15 N 44.10 N 44.10 N

Brick 0 14.43 N 20.29 N 22.05 N 31.31 N

Aluminum 0 11.43 N 15.O3 N 16.33 N 23.19 N

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Conclusions:

1. In the part 1 of the lab, what happened when the ice was placed in olive oil?
It Floated

2. In part 2 of the lab, which of the objects had the greatest density?
Wood and Styrofoam

3. From part 3, what is the relationship between the buoyant force and the
weight of an object when the object:

a. Sinks

if the buoyant force is less than the object's weight, the object will
sink.

b. Floats

if the buoyant force is greater than the object's weight, the object will
rise to the surface and float.

4. How is it possible to have two objects of the same mass where one object
sinks and the other object floats? Use your observations from the Intro part
of the lab to answer this question.

It all depends if it has higher or lower density.

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