Lesson 1: Buoyancy and Density
Duration of Days: 2.5
Lesson Objective
Students will calculate the density of various materials and apply Archimedes’ Principle to predict if an object will float or sink.
1. Why does a heavy steel ship float while a small pebble sinks?
2. How much water must an object "push out of the way" to stay afloat?
Buoyancy, Density, Archimedes’ Principle, Displacement, Volume.
ENG.04.01: Identify and describe properties of materials.
NGSS MS-PS2-2: Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces.
Students measure the mass and volume of their pontoon material (PVC or foam). They calculate density and use water displacement tanks to verify their buoyant force.
Purpose: To establish the mathematical foundation for boat design.
DOK Level: Level 2 (Skills & Concepts).
Provide a "Density Discovery" cheat sheet with pre-calculated volumes for standard shapes (cylinders/cubes).
Students must predict how many "payload" grams their pontoon can hold before sinking based on their volume measurements.
PVC pipe segments, foam blocks, graduated cylinders, digital scales, overflow containers.