0Instructions for Experiments on Upthrust, Archimedes method and Mixtures of metals

1) The Upthrust (Buoyancy) experiment.

a) Find the upthrust (buoyancy) on a metallic cylinder indirectly by measuring the weight of the
cylinder first suspended in air and then completely immersed in water. Use a force sensor.
- Zero the force sensor without the metal cylinder
- Weight of cylinder in air =0.97
- Weight of cylinder in water=0.59
- Upthrust = …0.97-0.59=0.38N

b) Calculate the theoretically expected upthrust according to Archimedes Principle. Use the
regular body method to find the volume of the cylinder
- Zero the caliper
- Diameter of cylinder= big=25mm; small=11.80
- Radius of cylinder=12.5mm+5.9mm=0.0125m+0.0059m
- Height of cylinder= 73.74mm;11.54mm=0.07374m+0.01154m
- Volume of cylinder = (pi)r2h small=3.14*(0.0059)2*0.01154=0.0000012614m3
Big=3.14*(0.0125)2*0.07374=0.0000361787m3
Total=0.0003630484m3
- Upthrust = …density of water*volume*acceleration of
gravity=1000kg/m3*0.0003630484m3*9.8N/kg= 3.55787432N

c) Calculate the percentage deviation of the experimental result from the theoretical result
t h eoretical value−experimental value
- ×100% = …(0.97-0.59/0.97)*100=39.17%
t h eoretical value
2. Archimedes method for density of small objects

Finding the density of the gold ring

a) Zero the scale with the metal stand and wire hook on it
b) Hang the ring on the hook, record the mass indicated mair (corresponds to the weight of the
ring, of course)0.48g
c) Place the wooden bridge across the scale and place the beaker with water on the bridge
d) Submerge the ring in the water, and record the new indicated smaller mass on the scale
mwater0.43g
e) Calculate the density of the object using our formula for Archimedes method

m ( air )
density of ring = × ρ (liquid )
m ( air )−m(water )

(0.48g/0.48-0.43g)*1g/cm3= 9.6g/cm3
 f) Comparing to the know density of gold; conclude on the likelihood that the ring is made of pure
gold.
The ring is most likely not made of gold, because the density of gold is 19.3g/cm3 and the
density of this ring was 9.6g/cm3.

3. The method of mixtures: Finding the content of a metal in an alloy

Theory development: Brass is an alloy or mixture of Copper (Cu) and Zink (Zn) – typically there is between
5% and 40% zink in the mixture.

The density of Brass is 8.45 g/cm3

The density of Cu is 8.96 g/cm3
The density of Zn is 7.13 g/cm3

How can you calculate how many percent of the total mass of brass is Cu and how many percent is Zn?

The volume is what it is, but the mass of the brass object actually will depend on the amounts of Cu and Zn.
If there is a lot of Cu in it then, since the density of Cu is higher Zn, the mass of the brass object will be
higher than if there is a lot of Zn in it.

Mass of brass object = mass contribution from Cu + mass contribution from Zn

Mass of brass object = (mass percentage of Cu)×(mass if same volume was made of pure Cu) + (mass
percentage of Zn) × (mass if same volume was made of pure Zn)

Translated in to symbols

M(brass) = p × m(pure Cu) + (1-p) × m(pure Zn)

Now isolate p in this equation p = ……

And finally to get from masses to densities: divide the whole equation with the volume of the brass object
…
you will get

ρ ( brass )−ρ(Zn)
Percentage of Cu = ρ ( Cu )−ρ(Zn)

Experiment: testing the content of your own silver or gold jewelry

(alternatively use the golden ring data from experiment 2)

If you have a ring or another type of silver or gold jewelry, you can now apply the same two methods
(Archimedes method and The method of mixtures) to find out how much silver or gold it actually contains.

Silver jewelry almost always consist of silver and copper. In quality jewelry, the silver content is
more than 90%.

The density of silver is 10.5 g/cm3

The density of Cu is 8.96 g/cm3

Find the density of the piece experimentally and calculate p using the equation from above ….

Golden jewelry is almost often a mixture of gold and silver, sometimes even just gold plaited silver.

The density of gold is 19.3 g/cm3

The density of silver is 10.5 g/cm3

Find the density of the piece experimentally and calculate p using the equation from above ….