Read & Learn
Read the provided article.
Use the information in the reading to
answer the questions on the task cards on
your answer sheet.
Make sure your answers in the correct
spot on the answer sheet. 
M. Poarch 2016 - science-class.net – Permission granted to copy for non-profit, education use only
Density
Every object on earth is made of atoms. Gravity pulls these atoms to the earth. You can measure the pull of
gravity on an object – we call that measurement weight.
Density is how close together the molecules of a substance are or how much mass a substance has in a given
space. If you have one cup of jelly beans and one cup of marshmallows…the jelly beans have more mass…there
is more “stuff” compacted into the cup. The marshmallows are mostly air. If you put each of those cups in a
microwave to melt…the sugar and water that makes up the jelly beans would almost fill the cup to the top. The
sugar and water that makes up the marshmallows would only fill the cup a little bit because marshmallows
have less mass, they are mostly made of air. Materials with more density weigh more. A cup of jelly beans
weighs more than a cup of marshmallows.
•
•
Density is a measurement of how solid something is. Specifically it is the mass per unit volume of a
substance. If you have two objects of the exact same size (volume), the more dense object will weigh more
than the less dense object.
So there are two things contributing to density:
–
–
•
The mass of the atoms or molecules that makes up the material.
The volume or amount of space the material takes up. If the molecules or atoms are “packed” in more closely, it will be more
dense.
For example, Styrofoam is a low density material. Even a large styrofoam container does not weigh much.
The molecules in the Styrofoam do not have much mass and there is a lot of space between them. A brick,
on the other hand, is much more dense. Even a moderate sized brick can be pretty heavy. This is because
the molecules which make up the rock have more mass and are packed more closely together.
http://www.indypl.org/kids/blog/?p=9042 & http://the-science-mom.com/
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1
2
Two objects have the same
volume.
Object A has a mass of 10 g.
Object B has a mass of 20 g.
Which object has the greatest
density?
What is WEIGHT?
What is MASS?
What is VOLUME?
3
Two objects have the same mass.
Object A has a volume of 20 cm3.
Object B has a mass of 40 cm3.
Which object has the greatest
density?
4
Describe DENSITY.
Watch & Learn
Watch the video at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2Rlt3YM1To
Use the information in the video to
answer the questions on the task cards on
your answer sheet.
Make sure your answers in the correct
spot on the answer sheet. 
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1
2
Density is a defining characteristic
of a substance.
What does this mean?
Complete this sentence:
Density is a combination of
__________ and __________.
3
What does density predict?
4
How do you calculated density?
What is the formula?
Explore & Learn
Observe the tank of water and soda cans.
Use your observations to answer the
questions on the task cards.
Make sure your answers in the correct
spot on the answer sheet. 
M. Poarch 2016 - science-class.net – Permission granted to copy for non-profit, education use only
1
The can of regular soda sinks in
water. What does this observation
tell you about the density of the
can of soda compared to the
density of water?
2
The can of diet soda floats in
water. What does this observation
tell you about the density of the
can of diet soda compared to the
density of water?
3
Use the terms mass, volume, and
density to explain why adding
bubble wrap makes a can of
regular soda float in water.
4
Use your observations to infer
why life jackets are made of
lightweight material and are
large.
Explore & Learn Again
1.
2.
3.
Drop the marble in the cup of water.
Observe.
Add bubble wrap to the marble and
repeat.
Answer the questions on the task cards.
Make sure your answers in the correct spot on
the answer sheet. 
M. Poarch 2016 - science-class.net – Permission granted to copy for non-profit, education use only
2
1
After adding bubble wrap your
marble floated. What can you say
about the density of the
Marble-and-bubble wrap
compared to the density of
water?
The marble originally sunk in
water. What can you say about the
density of the marble compared to
the density of water?
3
Density is the relationship
between the mass of an
object and its volume.
When you add material to
your sinking object, what do
you change more, mass or
volume?
4
How does increasing the
volume of an object
affect its density?
Investigate & Learn
Perform the investigation. It has TWO
parts.
Answer the questions on the task cards
for part 1, for part 2, and then for the
conclusion cards.
Make sure your answers in the correct
spot on the answer sheet. 
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Investigate & Learn
Procedure Part 1 – read the entire procedure before you begin.
1. Fill 2 clear plastic cups about 2/3 of the way with room temperature water.
2. Fill one dropper with cold water that has been colored blue. Poke the end of the
dropper a little beneath the surface of the colorless room-temperature water.
3. While observing from the side, gently squeeze the dropper so that the cold water
slowly flows into the room-temperature water.
4. Fill another dropper with hot water that has been colored red. Poke the end of the
dropper a little beneath the surface of this same cup of room-temperature water.
5. While observing from the side, gently squeeze the dropper so that the hot water
slowly flows into the room-temperature water. Hold a blank piece of paper behind
the cups to help you see the colored water.
Investigate & Learn
Perform the investigation. It has TWO
parts.
Answer the questions on the task cards
for part 1, for part 2, and then for the
conclusion cards.
Make sure your answers in the correct
spot on the answer sheet. 
M. Poarch 2016 - science-class.net – Permission granted to copy for non-profit, education use only
Investigate & Learn
Procedure Part 2 – read the entire procedure before you begin.
1. Fill 2 clear plastic cups about 2/3 of the way with room temperature water.
2. Fill one dropper with cold water that has been colored blue. Push the end of the
dropper to the bottom of the cup of the colorless room-temperature water.
3. While observing from the side, gently squeeze the dropper so that the cold water
slowly flows into the room-temperature water.
4. Fill another dropper with hot water that has been colored red. Push the end of the
dropper to the bottom of the cup of the colorless room-temperature water.
5. While observing from the side, gently squeeze the dropper so that the hot water
slowly flows into the room-temperature water. Hold a blank piece of paper behind
the cups to help you see the colored water.
Part 1 -
1
Color in and label areas of the
cup to show where the colored
hot and cold water ended up
after you released them into the
room temperature water.
Part 2 Color in and label areas of the
cup to show where the colored
hot and cold water ended up
after you released them into the
room temperature water.
Part 1 -
2
Describe the movement of the
hot and cold water after each
liquid was released.
1
Part 2 -
Describe the movement of the
hot and cold water after each
liquid was released.
2
Investigate & Learn
After you have completed both Part 1 and
Part 2, complete the conclusion cards/
M. Poarch 2016 - science-class.net – Permission granted to copy for non-profit, education use only
Conclusion -
1
Which temperature of water is
MOST dense?
Conclusion -
Conclusion -
2
Which temperature of water is
LEAST dense?
3
If you went scuba diving, would
you expect the water
temperature to get warmer or
colder as you dove deeper
beneath the surface? What
evidence do you have from your
investigation to support this?
Conclusion -
4
During late fall and early winter,
the water at the surface of a lake
may suddenly get colder than the
water below it. What do you think
happens to this water?
Use the word “density” to explain
why this happens.
Check & Learn
Check your understanding of density by
answering the questions.
Have your teacher check your answers
before you move to another station.
Make sure your answers in the correct
spot on the answer sheet. 
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1
The density
of object
an object
1. The density
of an
is is…
a) The mass
a) The mass divided by the volume
divided byD the
volume D = m/v b) The
= m/v
volume divided
by the mass
= v/m
c) The
b) The volume
dividedDby
the mass
same as its weight
D = v/md) The same as the size of
the object
c) The same
as its weight
d) The same as the size of the
object
3
If two objects have the same
mass but different volumes
a) The one with the larger volume
has the lower density
b) They must have the same
density
c) The one with the larger volume
has the higher density
d) The one with the larger volume
is twice as dense
2
If two objects have the same volume
but one has a greater mass, the one
with greater mass…
a) Has a lower density
b) Has a higher density
c) Will float
d) Will sink
1
Density is a characteristic
property of a substance.
This means that the density of
water…
a) Changes depending on the
volume
b) Stays the same regardless of the
volume
c) Is greater for a greater mass of
water
d) Is less for a smaller mass of water
1
An object
float is
in a)
a liquid
if it
1. The density
ofshould
an object
The mass
is…
divided
by the volume D = m/v b) The
a) More dense than the liquid
volume divided
thethan
masstheD liquid
= v/m c) The
b) Less by
dense
same as its
Themetal
same as the size of
c) weight
Lighterd)
than
thelike
object
d) Shaped
a ball
3
Wood floats in water. If you
measured the mass of the same
volume of wood and water…
a) The water would have a greater
mass
b) The water would have a lower
mass
c) The mass of the wood and
water would be the same
d) The mass of the wood and
water would both be 100 grams
2
A tiny piece of sand is very light but
sinks in water. This is because…
a) Sand is a solid
b) Sand is less dense than water
c) There is more water than sand
d) Sand is more dense than water
The density of hot and cold
water are different mainly
because…
4
a) The molecules in hot water move slower
and are slightly closer together
b) The molecules in hot water are larger
c) The molecules in hot water move faster
and are slightly further apart
d) The molecules in cold water move faster
and are further apart
Draw & Learn
Draw & label a diagram to illustrate
density.
Make sure to include:
• Mass
• Volume
• Particles
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Explore & Learn Some More
1. Drop a ball of clay into the water.
2. Form the clay into a shape that allows it to
float.
Answer the questions on the task cards.
Make sure your answers in the correct spot. 
M. Poarch 2016 - science-class.net – Permission granted to copy for non-profit, education use only
1
What happened when you
dropped the ball of clay in the
water?
2
Is the clay more or less dense
than water? How do you know?
3
Sketch the shape you made
from the ball of clay.
What happened to this
shape in the water?
4
Explain what has to
happen for the clay to
float on water.