Density impact on buoyancy in liquids experiment
In our floatation experiment, we touched on the topic of buoyancy. But flotation is also affected by other scientific principles as well, especially density.
- Pour one-third cup of syrup into the glass jar.
- Now pour one-third cup of cooking oil into the jar.
- Finally, pour one-third cup of water into the jar.
- Let the contents settle for a few minutes.
- Drop a piece of plastic, a grape, and a small cork into the liquid.
Notice how the objects you dropped in settle down to different layers of the mixture. The liquids have different densities. The density of a liquid determines whether it will float on or sink in another liquid. A liquid will float if it is less dense than the liquid it is placed in.
In our experiment, the densest (syrup) will be at the bottom, the least dense (oil) will be at the top, with the water in between. Each object will sink to the level of the liquid that has a greater density than the object. The object will then float on that layer.
Additional notes about the density impact on buoyancy in liquids experiment
Archimedes’ principle says any object, totally or partially immersed in a fluid or liquid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
Density impact on buoyancy in liquids experiment supplies
Supplies: Vegetable oil, Glass jar, Syrup, Grape, Cork, Piece of plastic
Density impact on buoyancy in liquids experiment picture gallery
The gallery below contains an album of pictures related to various densities in liquids.
Image Credits
In-Article Image Credits
A graduated cylinder filled with various liquids to illustrate density via Wikimedia Commons with usage type - Creative Commons License. July 14, 2013A density column containing some common liquids and solids via Wikimedia Commons with usage type - Creative Commons License. August 22, 2008
Density of liquids via Wikimedia Commons with usage type - Creative Commons License. October 28, 2013
Layers of glycerine, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol and water, demonstrating their increasing densities from the top to the bottom via Wikimedia with usage type - GNU Free. December 18, 2012
Density tower via Wikimedia Commons with usage type - Creative Commons License. November 29, 2015
Featured Image Credit
A graduated cylinder filled with various liquids to illustrate density via Wikimedia Commons with usage type - Creative Commons License. July 14, 2013
