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Densitylab

The Density Lab aims to teach students about density differences and their effects on stratification in water. The lab involves measuring and mixing cold salty water with warm fresh water, observing the resulting layers, and exploring the possibility of creating a third layer. Students will record weights, calculate densities, and make observations about the behavior of the water layers.

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Ye Win Htun
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7 views3 pages

Densitylab

The Density Lab aims to teach students about density differences and their effects on stratification in water. The lab involves measuring and mixing cold salty water with warm fresh water, observing the resulting layers, and exploring the possibility of creating a third layer. Students will record weights, calculate densities, and make observations about the behavior of the water layers.

Uploaded by

Ye Win Htun
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Density Lab

Materials:
Two 500ml beakers
One 1000ml beaker
Glass stirrer
1tsp salt
Water (warm and cold)
Red and Yellow food coloring
Cardboard
Scissors

The point:
After completing this lab, students will understand how density differences affect
stratification, some causes for stratification, and how mixing affects a water column
with different density properties.

Part 1: What is the density?


1) Weigh each empty 500ml beaker. Record the weight of the beaker below:

Beaker 1:_____________________ Beaker 2:_________________________

2) Measure 500ml of cold water into Beaker 1 and 500ml of warm water in
Beaker 2.
3) To the cold beaker (beaker 1), add the salt and 5 drops of yellow food
coloring. Stir until the salt has fully dissolved.
4) Add Red food coloring to the warm, fresh water (beaker 2)
5) Weigh each beaker (now with the water) and record the weight below:

Beaker 1:______________________ Beaker 2:__________________________


6) Calculate the mass, volume and density of the water in each beaker. (You will
have to be very precise with the volume).
Remember: Density = Mass / Volume

Cold, Salty Water Warm, Fresh Water


Mass
Volume
Density

7) If the water you just measured were in the ocean instead of the lab beakers,
do you think the layers will be stratified? Which one will be on top?

Part 2: Try it out.


1) Gently pour the cold, salty water (beaker 1) into the 1000ml beaker and
place the beaker on the table. Let the water settle while you complete the
next steps.
2) Add the warm fresh water to the 1000ml beaker by carefully following these
instructions:
a. Cut out a circle of cardboard that is roughly the size of the opening of
the beaker (doesn’t need to be exact).
b. Place the cardboard in the 1000ml beaker so it floats on top of the
water.
c. Gently pour the warm fresh water on top of the cardboard. The
cardboard will break the fall of the water preventing the two layers
from mixing while continuing to float.
d. After you are done pouring, remove the cardboard and let the 1000ml
beaker settle.

Part 3: Observations.
1) What do you observe in the 1000ml beaker?

2) Carefully tilt the beaker (do not spill any liquid!) and hold it at a tilt for 15
seconds. Then gently (but quickly) place the beaker back on the table and
observe what happens to the layers. Write a few sentences about what you
observed.

Part 4: The big picture


The ocean has more than just two layers, and sometimes they are not so clearly
defined. Do you think you could create a third layer in your beaker? How?

1) What color do you expect the third layer to be?

2) Where do you think the third layer will be formed?

3) Using the information from the density you calculated earlier, what density
do you expect this third layer might be?

4) Try it out! (Hint: Use the glass stirrer very carefully)

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