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Density Experiment Worksheet

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Density Experiment Worksheet

Can you use evidence to explain why some objects float and others sink? Read the experiment plan and results, then answer the questions. If you repeat the test, use a clear container of water and small, clean objects. Work with an adult, keep water away from electrical equipment, and dry spills straight away.

Plan the test

Density describes how much matter is packed into a certain amount of space. An object less dense than the liquid can float; an object more dense than the liquid usually sinks. For a fair test, use the same container, the same liquid, and test one object at a time. Lower each object gently and record what happens.

1.Match each science word to its meaning.

Mass
Volume
Density
Float

Stay at or near the surface of a liquid
How much matter is packed into a given space
How much matter an object contains
How much space an object takes up

2.Before testing, predict what will happen to a wooden cube and a metal washer in water. Give a reason for each prediction using the idea of density.

3.Mere tests a cork in a cup of water, then tests a plastic bead in a deep bowl of salty water. Name one change she should make so the comparison is fairer.

Results from the test

A group tested four clean, dry objects one at a time in the same container of tap water. They gently placed each object in the water and watched where it came to rest.

Object

What happened in water?

Cork

Floated at the surface

Wooden cube

Floated at the surface

Plastic bead

Sank to the bottom

Metal washer

Sank to the bottom

4.Which two objects floated in the group's test?

5.Which statement is supported by the results?

Both objects made from metal or plastic floated.
The cork and wooden cube floated, while the plastic bead and metal washer sank.
Every object floated because the water was clear.

6.Complete the sentence: In this test, the objects that floated were likely dense than water.

7.Complete the sentence: In this test, the objects that sank were likely dense than water.

8.A student says, “Everything made of plastic must float.” Do these results prove that statement? Explain why or why not.

9.A different group tested the metal washer twice but forgot to record the result for the cork. What should they do to make their results more complete and reliable?

10.An object floats because it is less dense than the liquid it is in.

TrueFalse

11.Suggest one new object to test in water and predict whether it will float or sink. Explain what you would keep the same to make the test fair.