Monday, September 17, 2018

Lab Lessons - Why Do Boats Float?



According to the Archimedes Principle, boats float because water pushes up on them with a force equal to their weight. This is called buoyancy. Using pieces of modeling clay and other simple materials, you’ll be exploring how size and shape affect a boat’s ability to float. You’ll also get to see just how much weight your boat can hold and which design works the best.

MATERIALS
Tank of water or large mixing bowl
Modeling clay
Pennies

PROCEDURE
1. Mold the clay into several different shapes until it floats. Determine what shape produces the most buoyancy. Once you do that, you’re ready to begin loading your boat with cargo.
2. Place pennies in your boat until it sinks. Keep track of how many pennies it held.
3. Test several shapes to see which holds the most pennies before sinking.

THINK ABOU IT
1. What characteristics of the winning boats helped them support the most weight?
2. Does this idea apply to large ships that carry thousands of tons of cargo? How do they stay afloat if they are made of metal?
Happy Homeschooling!

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