Will It 50 Points

Name

Float? Possible Date Hr

Question: What is it that determines whether an object will sink or float? Over the next several
days we will investigate the properties that determine whether an object will sink or float. In the
space below, describe what YOU THINK is the reason something will sink or float.

Day 1
1. Take necessary measurements of your objects BEFORE placing them in the water to test
their floating/sinking behavior.
Remember: To find the volume of a regular solid, multiply its length times width times
height and the units are cm3. A=L x W x H
When measuring with the metric ruler, round your measurements to the nearest 1 decimal
place (0.1)

Object Predict – Results –

Sink/Float Sink/Float
pts
10
 Day 2
2 pts 1. Which of your objects that did NOT float.

2 pts 2. Look at your data table for a pattern in your data. What properties do all of these objects
have in common? (Think carefully about the properties that might be important to each
object’s ability to float.)

2 pts 3. Which of your objects that DID float.

2 pts 4. look at your data table for a pattern in your data. What properties do all of these objects have
in common? (Think carefully about the properties that might be important to each object’s
ability to float.)

Graphing your results

5. Use the graph paper on the next page to plot mass vs. volume from your data table. Plot the
points for things that sank in BLUE. Plot the points for objects that floated in RED.

DO NOT CONNECT YOUR POINTS WITH LINES!

2 pts 6. What will be the title of your graph?

2 pts 7. What will be the label for your x-axis?

2 pts 8. What will be the label for your y-axis?

2 pts 9. What is the highest number you will need on each axis?

x-axis y-axis
 15
pt
s
5 pts 2
pts
2
pts
Supply
1 die 1 wooden rectangle
1 snake 1 small green toy
1 wooden cube 1 metal cylinder
1 wooden wheel 1 ruler
1 rock 1 25 mL graduated cylinder
1 toy car 1 100ml graduated cylinder
1 small ornament 2 250mL beakers

1
 Will It Float?

Supply
1 die 1 wooden rectangle
1 lizard 1 toy dog
1 wooden cube 1 metal cylinder
1 marble 1 ruler
1 rock 1 25 mL graduated cylinder
1 toy car 1 100ml graduated cylinder
1 small ornament 2 250mL beakers
Will It Float?

2
 Will It Float?

Supply
1 die 1 wooden rectangle
1 lizard 1 toy dog
1 wooden cube 1 metal cylinder
1 marble 1 ruler
1 rock 1 25 mL graduated cylinder
1 toy car 1 100ml graduated cylinder
1 small ornament 2 250mL beakers
Will It Float?
3
 Will It Float?

Supply
1 die 1 wooden rectangle
1 lizard 1 toy dog
1 wooden cube 1 metal cylinder
1 marble 1 ruler
1 rock 1 25 mL graduated cylinder
1 toy car 1 100ml graduated cylinder
1 small ornament 2 250mL beakers
Will It Float?

4
 Will It Float?

Supply
1 die 1 wooden rectangle
1 lizard 1 toy dog
1 pumice stone 1 metal cylinder
1 marble 1 wooden cube
1 rock 1 ruler
1 toy car 1 25 mL graduated cylinder
1 small ornament 1 100ml graduated cylinder
2 250mL beakers

5
 Will It Float?

Supply
1 die 1 wooden rectangle
1 lizard 1 toy dog
1 candle 1 metal cylinder
1 marble 1 wooden cube
1 rock 1 ruler
1 toy car 1 25 mL graduated cylinder
1 small ornament 1 100ml graduated cylinder
2 250mL beakers

6
 Will It Float?

Supply
1 die 1 wooden rectangle
1 lizard 1 toy dog
1 golf tee 1 metal cylinder
1 marble 1 wooden cube
1 rock
1 toy car
1 small ornament
Will It Float?

7
 Will It Float?

Supply
Set of 9 cubes in a plastic box.
Will It Float?
8
 Will It Float?

Supply
Set of film canisters
Will It Float?

9
Will It Float?