Objectives

  • Students will learn that saltwater is denser than freshwater.

Materials

  • One of the following for each student group:
    • A one cup measure
    • A 1/4 cup measure.
    • Eye dropper
    • Two eggs
    • Two clear 16 oz. glasses
  • Water
  • Salt
  • Food coloring

Procedures

  1. Write the following definition of density on the board:
    • Density is the weight of a liquid divided by the space it occupies.
  2. Tell students that the following experiment involves a comparision between the density of fresh water and salt water.
  3. Divide students into small groups and distribute the cup measures, eye dropper, eggs and glasses to them.
  4. Ask the students to fill one of the glasses with 1 cup of water.
  5. Direct the students to gently drop one egg into the water and watch what happens.
  6. Ask students to fill the second glass with 1 cup of water and 1/4 cup of salt.
  7. Tell them to stir until the salt is completely dissolved.
  8. Ask students to add a few drops of food coloring to the salt water and allow it to sit for five minutes.
  9. Direct the students to carefully and slowly add fresh water using the eye dropper, being careful notto disturb the settled colored salt water.
  10. Tell students to drop the second egg into the glass and watch what happens.
  11. Have a class discussion using the following questions:
    • Compare the way the two eggs float. Describe the differences.
    • Why do you think the eggs float differently in the separate glasses?
    • What conclusions can you draw about the density of either the eggs or the water?
  12. After the students have shared their thoughts, explain that the egg sunk in the fresh water because it had greater density than the water in that situation. The egg floated in the salt water because when salt is added to water its density becomes greater than that of the egg.That makes the egg float.
  13. Ask students what implications this might have in the ocean.
Through a hands-on chemistry experiment students will discover that salt water is denser than fresh water.
Grades
3
4
5
6

Featured Middle School Resources

Elements of Poetry Workbook

WORKBOOKS

Elements of Poetry Workbook

Use this poetry toolbox workbook to support your students to learn different poetic terms and devices, and then practice...

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER
Test Prep Strategies and Practice for Students

ACTIVITIES

Test Prep Strategies, Tools, and Practice Questions

Help set your students up for academic success with this packet of test-taking tips, test preparation strategies, and pr...

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER
History of Earth Day Reading Passage and Quiz

ACTIVITIES

Earth Day Activities: History of Earth Day Reading Passage and Quiz

Help your students work on their reading comprehension skills while learning all about Earth Day with this reading compr...

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

Related Resources

LESSON PLANS

Salt or Sugar: Which Dissolves Faster in Different Liquids?

Solutions are nothing more than mixtures of different compounds or elements.

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

LESSON PLANS

What Is Child Labor?

ObjectivesStudents will learn about the subject of child labor.Students will take action against child labor.

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

LESSON PLANS

Glacial Pressure

Background Information: In some regions of the world great masses of snow and ice cover the earth's surface.

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

LESSON PLANS

Learning about Levers

ObjectivesStudents will use observation skills to draw conclusions.

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

LESSON PLANS

The Tablecloth Trick and Inertia

ObjectivesStudents will learn about inertia.

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

ACTIVITIES

Loopy Liquids: A Project in Density

Materials 1/2 cup light corn syrup1/2 cup glycerin (you can find this oily substance in pharmacies)1/2 cup water1/2 cup ...

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER
loading gif