Name __ _____________________________________ Date __ ______ Class _ _ _ _

_______________________________________________ _______________

To learn how to predict whether an object will float or sink.

You have lots of experience with density and buoyancy! From learning how to float when swimming,
playing with toys in the bath, watching an oil and vinegar salad dressing separate, or watching a big heavy
boat floating in the water. Buoyancy principles are all around you!

Buoyant force, density, displacement, volume

Eureka! According to popular legend, in the 3rd century B.C. the famous Greek philosopher Archimedes
discovered that there was a relationship between the water he displaced when getting in the bathtub and
the buoyant force that made him feel lighter in the water. This discovery lead to the principle named after
him which states that “an immersed object is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid it
displaces.” The shape of an object affects how much fluid is displaced, which explains how a solid block of
iron would sink, while the same mass of iron when shaped like a boat would float.
Why do some objects float and others sink? The answer lies in the density of the objects and the liquid
they are placed in which, in turn, depends on the buoyant forces. Density is the mass of a material in one
unit of volume. The mathematical formula for density is given below.
Mass 𝑚
Density = or 𝑑 =
Volume 𝑉
You can tell if an object will sink or float by comparing the weight of the object and the buoyant force. If
the buoyant force is larger, the object has more force pushing up than the weight of the object pulling it
down, so it will float.

1. What would you observe if olive oil and water were poured together? Why?

1. Start Virtual Physics and select Density and Buoyancy from the list of assignments. The lab will open
in the Density laboratory.
2. You will be measuring the density of solid objects and of various liquids to predict whether the solids
will float or sink. You will also calculate the buoyant force on the solids in one of the fluids. Find the
ice
Name __ _____________________________________ Date __ ______ Class _ _ _ _
_______________________________________________ _______________

ball on the lab wall. Pick up the ball and drag it to the spotlight on the balance. Record the mass in the
first table below.
3. Use the Up and Down arrows on the control panel to toggle through the options of fluids to use in the
lab. Select Virtual Fluid B. This is a unique Virtual Fluid that is used only in this virtual laboratory. Click
the Fill button to release the chosen amount of fluid into the 250 mL graduated cylinder on the
laboratory bench. Click on the top of the cylinder to see a zoomed in view of the level of the fluid.
Record the volume of the Virtual Fluid in the table.
4. Drag the ice ball to the top of the cylinder and drop it in the cylinder of Virtual Fluid. Click the green
Drop button to let the ball fall into the fluid. Look at the close up view window to note the new fluid
level in the cylinder with both the Virtual Fluid and the ball. Record the volume in the table. Answer
Question 1.
5. Record the volume of the ice sample in the table. Click the blue handle at the bottom of the cylinder to
empty the contents of the cylinder.
6. Repeat Steps 2-5 for two more samples: aluminum and pine wood. Record your measurements in the
table.
7. Use the formula for density to calculate the density of each of the solid samples. Record the answers
in the table.
8. Calculate the weight of each of the objects. Remember Weight = mass  force of gravity (g). Use
the mass of the objects in kg and use g= 9.8 m/s2.

Sample Mass of Volume Volume of Volume Density Weight Buoyant

Sample of Virtual of (g/mL) of solid force in
(g) Virtual Fluid and Sample (N) olive oil
Fluid Sample (mL) (N)
(mL) (mL)

Ice

Aluminum

Pine
Wood

1. How can you determine the volume of the ice ball from your measurements?

Name __ _____________________________________ _______________________________________________

Date __ ______ Class _ _ _ _

1. Use the Up and Down arrows on the control panel to toggle through the options of fluids to use in the
lab. Select Ethanol. Click the Fill button to release the chosen amount of fluid into the cylinder. Click on
the cylinder to see a zoomed in view of the level of the fluid. Record the volume in the table below.
2. Drag the beaker on the counter to the balance and record its mass in the table.
3. Pick up the cylinder filled with ethanol and pour it into the empty beaker. Record the mass of the
ethanol and beaker in the table. Answer Question 2.
4. Record the mass of the ethanol in the table. Click the handle at the bottom of the cylinder to empty
the contents of the cylinder.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 to obtain the masses and volumes of water and olive oil. Record your measurements
in the table.
6. Calculate the density of each of the liquid samples. Record the answers in the table. Answer Questions 3
and 4.
7. Test your prediction from the Pre-Lab Question by half filling one of the cylinders with olive oil by
clicking the ½ button on the dispenser control before filling. That will allow you to add half a cylinder
of oil, then toggle through the fluids and select water and dispense ½ of a fill of water to the same
cylinder.
8. Calculate the buoyant force on each of the objects in the olive oil. You have calculated the volume of
fluid displaced by each of the objects and the density of the olive oil. Use the density equation to
calculate the mass of olive oil displaced, from the density and volume that you have. To calculate
the buoyant force, you need to calculate the weight of the displaced olive oil in each case.
Buoyant Force on object = Weight of displaced fluid = Mass of displaced fluid  g
Record your results in the first table. Answer Question 5.
9. Test your prediction from Question 5 by filling the cylinder with olive oil. Then move the dispenser
head over the next cylinder by clicking the green right-hand arrow on the dispenser above the cylinder.
Fill three cylinders with olive oil. Place each of the objects in one of the cylinders and release them all
to see whether or not they will float.

Name __ _____________________________________ _______________________________________________

Date __ ______
Class _ _ _ _

Sample Mass of Mass of Beaker Mass of Volume of Density

Empty and Sample (g) Sample (g) Sample (g/mL)
Beaker (g) (mL)

Ethanol

Water

Olive Oil

2. How can you determine the mass of the ethanol in the beaker?

3. Does the weight of an object or its density determine whether or not it will float in a fluid? Explain.

4. Which of the solids will float in the olive oil? Explain.

5. Compare the weight of each object and the buoyant forces to predict which objects will float.

6. If all three solids and all three liquids were mixed in the same cylinder at the same time, what would
you observe? List what you would see from the top of the cylinder to the bottom. Explain how you
determined your placement.