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The Shape of Floatation
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In this activity (on page 2 of the PDF under GPS: Sailboat Design Activity), learners will discover how the shape of an object, not just its weight, determines whether it floats or sinks.

Salt 'n Lighter
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In this activity, learners discover that as the salinity of water increases, the density increases as well. Learners prove this by attempting to float fresh eggs in saltwater and freshwater.

Defining Density
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In this introductory demonstration and activity, learners are introduced to the concept of density as they explore a rock and a wooden block in water.

Diet Light
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In this quick activity, learners observe how the added sugar in a can of soda affects its density and thus, its ability to float in water.

Cartesian Diver
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In this demonstration, learners observe the effects of density and pressure. A "diver" constructed out of a piece of straw and Blu-Tack will bob inside a bottle filled with water.

Descartes' Diver
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In this activity, learners explore how changes in fluid pressure affect the buoyancy of a Cartesian diver inside a plastic soda bottle.

Deep Sea Diver
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In this ocean engineering activity, learners explore buoyancy and water displacement. Then, learners design models of deep sea divers that are neutrally buoyant.

Physics in the Kitchen: Sink or Swim Soda
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In the kitchen, learners can perform their own density investigation.

Root Beer Float
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In this quick activity/demonstration about density, learners examine what happens when two cans of root beer--one diet and one regular--are placed in a large container of water.

Density Rainbow and the Great Viscosity Race
Learners conduct two activities to investigate two properties of liquids: density and viscosity. In a clear container, learners stack 7 different liquids which will layer according to their density.

Dancing Spaghetti
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In this chemistry activity, learners use spaghetti to explore density and chemical reactions.

Full of Hot Air: Hot Air Balloon Building
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In this activity, learners create a model of a hot air balloon using tissue paper and a hairdryer. Educators can use this activity to introduce learners to density and its role in why things float.

Test Density with a Supersaturated Solution
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Learners create three solutions with different levels of salinity. They compare the density of these solutions by coloring them and layering them in a clear plastic cup and in a soda bottle.

Can You Canoe?
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In this activity, learners explore how engineering has impacted the manufacturing of canoes over time, including the development of new, durable, and lighter materials.

Watercraft
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In this design challenge activity, learners build a boat that can hold 25 pennies (or 15 one inch metal washers) for at least ten seconds before sinking.

Design a Submarine
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Learners act as engineers and design mini submarines that move in the water like real submarines.

Floating Head Cup
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In this activity, learners watch a figure "magically" float up through the air.

Fly a Hot-Air Balloon
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Learners assemble a hot-air balloon from tissue paper. The heated air (from a heat gun) inside the balloon is less dense than the surrounding air and causes the balloon to float.

Sink or Swim?
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Learners observe a tank of water containing cans of diet and regular sodas. The diet sodas float and the regular sodas sink. All the cans contain the same amount of liquid and the same amount of air.

Inverted Bottles
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In this activity, learners investigate convection by using food coloring and water of different temperatures.