Name __________________________ Block _____________ Date ______________

Exploring Properties of Liquids

Liquids have some diffe re nt prope rtie s than solids or gase s.
● Cohe sion: The attractive force of liquid particles to each other. This attraction is
especially strong in water particles.
● Adhe sion: The attractive force of liquid particles to other surfaces. We get “wet” when
there is adhesion between liquid particles and our skin.
● Surface Te nsion: Surface tension is the cohesive forces of water particles at the surface
of water. Surface tension causes water to form spherical (round) drops.

Activity #1: Moving Water

Materials: 2 - 50 mL Beakers, 1 Paper Towel, Food Coloring, Tap Water.
1. Fill one of the beakers ¾ full of hot tap water.
2. Place one drop of food coloring into the beaker with water. Without stirring, the food
coloring will spread out in the beaker of water.

3. How does this demonstrate the kine tic the ory of matte r?

4. Roll a small piece of paper towel (about ¼ sheet) into a tight tube. Place one end of the paper towel tube in the
beaker of water, and the other end in an empty beaker. Observe the movement of the water.
5. Comple te the othe r lab activitie s be fore coming back to obse rve the be ake rs.

6. Describe the movement of the water in this activity. How is the water in the beaker moving?

7. How does this activity demonstrate adhe sion?

Activity #2 : Does Water Slide or Roll?

Materials: 50 mL Beaker, Waxed Paper, Cardboard Square, Plastic Pipette, Pepper, Tap Water.
1. Fill the 50 mL beaker about ½ full of tap water.
2. Place a piece of waxed paper over a cardboard square. Using the pipette, drop a few droplets of water on the
waxed paper. Tilt the cardboard square, and observe how the water droplets move.

3. Do you think the water droplets SLIDE or ROLL on the waxed paper?_____________________________
4. Sprinkle a few grains of pepper on top of the water droplets, tilt the cardboard, and observe CLOSELY how the
water droplets move.
5. Do the water droplets SLIDE or ROLL on the waxed paper?____________________________________

6. How does this activity demonstrate cohe sion?

7. How does this activity demonstrate adhe sion?

8. How does this activity demonstrate surface te nsion?

Activity #3 : Split and Connect Water Drops
Materials: 50 mL Beaker, Waxed Paper, Cardboard Square, Plastic Pipette, Tap Water, Toothpick, Soap
Solution, Straw.
1. Fill the 50 mL beaker about ½ full of tap water.
2. Place a piece of waxed paper over a cardboard square. Using the pipette, drop a few droplets of water on the
waxed paper. Observe the shape of the droplets. Draw the droplets below:

3. What property of liquids causes the droplets to be shaped like your picture?_________________________
4. With a toothpick, split a water droplet into one or more smaller droplets.
5. With a drinking straw, blow gently on two or more water droplets and stick them back together.
6. Is it easier to split the droplets or stick them back together?_____________________________________
7. What property of liquids makes it easy to stick them back together?_______________________________
8. Dip the end of the toothpick in soap solution. Poke the water droplet with the soapy tip. Describe what happens
to the drop.
_________________________________________________________________________________
9. Does the soap solution change the cohesion, adhesion, or surface tension of the water? Explain your answe r.

Activity #4: How Many Water Drops Fit on a Penny?

Materials: Pennies, 50 mL Beaker, Plastic Pipettes, Tap Water, Paper
Towels.

Make a Hypothe sis - How many drops of wate r can fit on a pe nny?_________________

1. Each group should get one penny per person for the testing.
2. Rinse each penny in tap water and dry completely with a paper towel.
3. Place the dry penny on a flat paper towel.
4. Use the pipette to slowly place drops of WATER on the penny (one at a time) until ANY amount of water runs
over the edge of the penny.
5. Count the number of drops for each student testing and record in the data table.
6. Repeat for each group member. Calculate your average number of drops on the penny.

Stude nt 1 Stude nt 2 Stude nt 3 Stude nt 4 Ave rage

# of drops
# of wate r
drops

7. How does this activity demonstrate cohe sion?

8. How does this activity demonstrate adhe sion?

9. How does this activity demonstrate surface te nsion?

10. Compare your average number of drops to at least two other lab groups. How do your results compare?

11. Provide two possible reasons for differences between your results and other groups’ results.

Go back to observe Activity #1 (Moving Water), and finish questions #6 and #7.