Lighthouse Lab – Density of Liquids and Solids

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In the Lighthouse Lab lesson on density, Chelsea demonstrates how different liquids with varying densities can create a density column using honey, dish soap, vegetable oil, and isopropyl alcohol. Students learn that denser objects, like a marble, sink to the bottom, while less dense objects, such as a polystyrene ball, float on top, illustrating the concept of density through hands-on experimentation.
  1. What did you learn about how different liquids can have different densities?
  2. Why do you think the polystyrene ball floated while the marble sank?
  3. How can you use what you learned about density in real life?

Lighthouse Lab – Exploring Density with Liquids and Solids

Welcome to the Lighthouse Lab! I’m Chelsea, and today we’re going to have some fun learning about density. Density is a way to measure how much stuff is packed into a certain space. Imagine squeezing a lot of things into a small box; that’s kind of like density!

Creating a Density Column

To explore density, we’re going to make something called a density column using different liquids. I’ve got honey, dish soap, vegetable oil, and isopropyl alcohol. Each of these liquids has a different density.

First, I pour the honey into a container. Next, I add the dish soap, then the vegetable oil, and finally the isopropyl alcohol. Because honey is the heaviest, or most dense, it stays at the bottom. The isopropyl alcohol is the lightest, or least dense, so it floats on top.

Testing Objects in the Density Column

Now, let’s see what happens when we drop different objects into our density column!

Polystyrene Ball

I start with a polystyrene ball. It feels really light, so I think it will float on the isopropyl alcohol. And it does!

Marble

Next, I try a marble. What do you think will happen? The marble is heavy, so it sinks through all the liquids and ends up at the bottom.

Plastic Block

Then, I add a plastic block. It sinks through the vegetable oil but floats on top of the dish soap.

Tea Candle

Finally, I drop in a tea candle. It settles just below the alcohol layer.

Understanding Density

So, what did we learn about density? The marble is the most dense because it sinks all the way to the bottom. The plastic block is next, followed by the tea candle. The polystyrene ball is the least dense because it floats on top.

Wasn’t that cool? Thanks for joining me at the Lighthouse Lab! I hope you had fun learning about density, and I can’t wait to see you next time!

  • What do you think would happen if we used a different liquid, like milk or juice, in the density column? Why do you think it would float or sink?
  • Can you think of other objects at home that might float or sink in the density column? What makes you think they would behave that way?
  • Have you ever seen something float or sink in water, like a toy or a leaf? How do you think density helps explain what you saw?
  1. Density Detective: Go on a density hunt around your house! Find small objects like a coin, a rubber eraser, a small toy, or a piece of fruit. Predict which objects will sink or float in a bowl of water. Test your predictions by placing each object in the water. Observe what happens and think about why some objects sink while others float. Discuss with a friend or family member what you learned about the density of different objects.

  2. Layered Liquids Experiment: With the help of an adult, try creating your own density column at home using liquids you have in your kitchen. You can use syrup, milk, water, and oil. Carefully pour each liquid into a clear glass or jar, one at a time, and watch how they form layers. Once your column is ready, gently drop small objects like a grape, a piece of pasta, or a small button into the column. Observe where each object settles and discuss why it might be floating or sinking at that particular layer.

  3. Density Art: Create a piece of art that represents the concept of density. Use different materials like cotton balls, pebbles, and paper to show how some things are packed tightly together while others are spread out. Arrange these materials on a piece of cardboard or paper to create a collage. Share your artwork with your class and explain how it represents the idea of density.

Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:

Thank you! [Applause] [Music]

Welcome back to the Lighthouse Lab! I’m Chelsea, and today we’re going to compare the density of solid objects. Density is the amount of matter packed into a given volume.

To do this, I’m going to make a density column using different liquids. I’ve got honey, dish soap, vegetable oil, and isopropyl alcohol.

First, I’ll add the honey, now the dish soap, the vegetable oil, and finally the isopropyl alcohol.

Based on their density, the honey is the most dense, and the isopropyl alcohol is the least dense.

Now, let’s see what happens when different objects are placed in the density column. I’ll start with this polystyrene ball; it feels pretty light, so I thought it would float on the isopropyl alcohol.

Next up is this marble. What do you think will happen? Wow, it sinks through all of the liquids and sits at the bottom.

Now I’ll add this plastic block; it sinks to the bottom of the vegetable oil but floats on top of the dish soap.

Next up, the tea candle. The tea candle settles just below the alcohol.

So, in terms of their density, the marble is the most dense, followed by the toy block, the tea candle, and the polystyrene ball is the least dense.

That was fun! Thanks for hanging out, and I’ll see you again soon in the Lighthouse Lab!

[Music]

Thank you!

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