“What Floats The Boat”

Buoyancy
Lesson Plan #1
 FOCUS QUESTION
• Why do ships float?
• What is buoyancy?

VOCABULARY
Buoyancy
Floatation
Sinking

OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:
• Determine that objects with more surface area will be more buoyant than objects with the same mass, but with a compact or
smaller surface area
• Determine that objects immersed in water weigh less due to the principle of buoyancy

BACKGROUND
How does a boat or ship float carrying hundreds of pounds worth of cargo while that same cargo would sink to the bottom
of the ocean if dumped overboard? The SS Republic®* was loaded with passengers, a large shipment of cargo including gold
and silver coins and several tons of coal, and yet it floated out of the New York harbor into the Atlantic Ocean bound for New
Orleans on October 18, 1865. The ship and her cargo would not have floated without the SS Republic cradling her load and
dispersing the weight across the surface of the water.

When you are in a pool and you stretch out your body, you will float. But if you wrap your arms around your legs and curl
up into a ball, you will sink. It all has to do with how much water is pushing against you and a little scientific principle called
buoyancy or floatation. When you stretch out flat more water pushes against you since your body is laid out flatter and has
more surface area. When you curl up into a ball, your body is more compact and less water is pushing against you (you have
less surface area).

MATERIALS
• Modeling clay (Activity #1, same amount for each group)
• Bucket or similar container (Activity #1 & #2, one for each group)
• Water (Activity #1 & #2)
• Soda can with tab (Activity #2, one for each group)
• 50 centimeters of string (Activity #2, one for each group)
• Rubber band (Activity #2, one for each group)

PREPARATION
Review background information with students and tell them that they are going to perform an experiment that will help them
discover why a boat floats. Divide students into groups of four. Provide one container of water for each group.

 What Floats the Boat – Buoyancy

 PROCEDURE
Activity #1
1. Take a piece of clay and roll it into a ball. Place it on the water. Observe what happens.
2. Take the same piece of clay and roll into a cylinder shape. Place it on the water. Observe what happens.
3. Take that same piece of clay and fashion it into a flat-bottomed boat shape. Place it on the water. Observe what happens.
4. Record results and conclude findings.

QUESTION: Why did the first 2 shapes sink and the boat (ship) shape float?
Answer: If the total area of the object that makes contact with the water is large enough, the object floats. The object must
make room for its own volume by pushing aside, or displacing, an equivalent (or equal) volume of liquid. The object is exert-
ing a downward force on the water and the water is therefore exerting an upward force on the object. Of course the floating
object’s weight comes into play also. The solid body floats when it has displaced just enough water to equal its own original
weight. This principle is called buoyancy.

PROCEDURE
Activity #2
1. Fill a soda can with water.
2. Tie one end of the string securely through the tab of the can so that it can be lifted and will not drop.
3. Place the can into a bucket of water. Each group member should then lift the soda can by the string to the surface of the
water and note the effort needed. Use only two fingers to lift.
4. Lift the same water filled can the same distance off the floor. Use only two fingers to lift. Note the effort needed.
5. Now attach the rubber band to the loose end of the string and repeat the lifting process in the bucket of water and the same
distance from the floor. This time slip a pencil through the rubber band and measure the length that the rubber band
stretches in each case.
6. Record the measurements and calculate the difference.
7. Conclude by determining which requires more effort and why.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION
• Civil War Gold DVD: One-hour National Geographic documentary featuring the captivating story of Odyssey Marine
Exploration’s discovery of the SS Republic
• SS Republic Website (for further information about the SS Republic) http://shipwreck.net/ssrepublic.php
• Worksheet and Answer Key: “WHAT FLOATS THE BOAT?” (BUOYANCY)

THE NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS

Science as Inquiry
• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Understandings about scientific inquiry

Physical Science
• Properties of objects and materials

Earth and Space Science

• Properties of earth materials

LESSON PLAN SOURCES

This lesson plan was adapted from:
• Activity Guide TITANIC SCIENCE
• WNET Educational Initiatives
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/nttidb/lessons/jx/buoyjx.html

 What Floats the Boat – Buoyancy

 ANSWER KEY for WORKSHEET: “WHAT FLOATS THE BOAT?” (BUOYANCY)
Activity #1
Observation 1: Ball of clay sinks
Observation 2: Cylinder shaped clay sinks
Observation 3: Boat shaped clay floats

QUESTION: Why did the first 2 shapes sink and the boat shape float?
The answer should reflect an understanding that: If the total area of the object that makes contact with the water is large
enough, the object floats. The object must make room for its own volume by pushing aside, or displacing, an equivalent (or
equal) volume of liquid. The object is exerting a downward force on the water and the water is therefore exerting an upward
force on the object. Of course the floating object’s weight comes into play also. The solid body floats when it has displaced
just enough water to equal its own original weight. This principle is called buoyancy.

Activity #2
Did it take more effort to lift the can of water in the bucket of water or from the floor?
It took more effort to lift the can from the floor.

Length of rubberband when can is lifted from bucket of water=_________________________________________________

Length of rubberband when can is lifted from the floor=______________________________________________________

Subtract larger number from smaller number to calculate the difference= _________________________________________

QUESTION: Why was there a difference in the effort needed to lift the can?
The answer should reflect an understanding that: Liquids exert an upward force on an immersed or floating object.
The upward force is called buoyancy.

 What Floats the Boat – Buoyancy

 WORKSHEET: “WHAT FLOATS THE BOAT?” (BUOYANCY)

PROCEDURE
Activity #1

1. Take a piece of clay and roll it into a ball. Place it on the water. Observe what happens.
2. Take the same piece of clay and roll into a cylinder shape. Place it on the water. Observe what happens.
3. Take that same piece of clay and fashion it into a flat-bottomed boat shape. Place it on the water. Observe what happens.
4. Record results and conclude findings.

Observation 1: ______________________________________________________________________________________

Observation 2: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Observation 3: ______________________________________________________________________________________

QUESTION: Why did the first 2 shapes sink and the boat shape float?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

PROCEDURE
Activity #2

1. Fill a soda can with water.

2. Tie one end of the string securely through the tab of the can so that it can be lifted and will not drop.
3. Place the can into a bucket of water. Each group member should then lift the can by the string to the surface of the water
and note the effort needed. Use only two fingers to lift.
4. Lift the same water filled can the same distance off the floor. Use only two fingers to lift. Note the effort needed.
5. Now attach the rubberband to the loose end of the string and repeat the lifting process in the bucket of water and the same
distance from the floor. This time slip a pencil through the rubberband and measure the length that the rubberband
stretches in each case.
6. Record the measurements and calculate the difference.
7. Conclude by determining which requires more effort and why.

Did it take more effort to lift the can of water in the bucket of water or from the floor?
________________________________________________________________

Length of rubberband when can is lifted from bucket of water=_________________________________________________

Length of rubberband when can is lifted from floor=_________________________________________________________

Subtract larger number from smaller number to calculate the difference= _________________________________________

QUESTION: Why was there a difference in the effort needed to lift the can?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

 What Floats the Boat – Buoyancy