Breaking the Tension: Surface Tension 1

Learners explore how the attractive forces between water molecules create surface tension and allow certain objects to float on the surface of water. Learners also discover how detergent breaks surface tension. In an investigation called "Walk on Water," learners attempt to make a paperclip float on water, then in an investigation called "Sink to the Bottom," they add detergent to the water to observe what happens to the paperclip. The activities raise questions about how adding detergents or pollutants to a pond would affect organisms that live in water environments. This activity can be combined with the "Below the Surface" activity found in the same educational resource.