Learning Goal: Students will be able to
calculate density and analyze its physical
properties.
Warm Up…on page 107
1. Please go to page 78 and reflect on where you are at
with States of Matter on the scale.
2. What is density and how do you calculate it?
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Statement of the Problem: How do solids and
liquids behave in a density column?
Hypothesis: If…… then………
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Light Karo Syrup 10 mL
Water 10 mL
Vegetable Oil 10 mL
Dawn Dish Soap (Blue) 10 mL
Rubbing Alcohol 10 mL
Nylon spacer
Food Coloring (red, green and yellow)
2 - 100 mL Graduated Cylinders
Triple beam balance
5 Dixie Cups
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Record the mass of the empty dixie cup.
Put 10 mL of each substance in a dixie cup and record the
mass of both the cup and the liquid. (use a clean cup for each
liquid)
Subtract the mass of the empty cup from the total mass of the
cup and liquid, the difference is the mass of the substance.
Calculate the density of 10 mL of each of the following: Light
Corn Syrup, water, vegetable oil, blue Dawn dish soap and
rubbing alcohol
Calculate the density of the nylon spacer (you should have this
from the sink or float lab)
Start your column by pouring the karo syrup slowly into the
graduated cylinder.
It is important to pour each liquid slowly and into the center of
the cylinder (do not let the liquids touch the sides of the
graduated cylinder)
After all the liquids are poured into the graduated cylinder,
drop in the nylon spacer
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Make sure to pour the liquids into the
graduated cylinder in the following order:
 Karo Syrup with 1 drop of red food
coloring
 Dish Soap
 Water with 1 drop of Yellow food
coloring
 Vegetable Oil
 Rubbing Alcohol with 1 drop of blue & 1
drop of red food coloring
 Nylon Spacer (put this in after the layers
have settled out)
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Data Table – Your data table should include
all of the liquids plus the nylon spacer, mass,
volume and density.
Substance
Karo Syrup
Dawn Soap
Water
Vegetable
Oil
Rubbing
Alcohol
Nylon
Spacer
Mass
Volume
Density
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Predict – Before pouring the liquids into the
graduated cylinder, look at the densities you
have calculated.
Predict what will happen when these liquids
are mixed together. Draw and color your
predictions of what the liquids will look like
in the cylinder in your lab book. (see example
on board)
Be sure to label each layer and include the
densities.
Explain your prediction in a paragraph
Learning Goal: Students will be able to
calculate density and analyze its physical
properties.
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WARM UP PG 109
WRITE DOWN THE 2 QUESTIONS BELOW
AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING AFTER
EACH VIDEO:
◦ WHAT 2 THINGS ARE REACTING?
◦ CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL? WHY?
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Observations – As you pour each liquid into
the cylinder, observe what happens to the
liquids and the nylon spacer.
Include a written description of what happens
as each item is poured into the graduated
cylinder. What happens to the nylon spacer?
Illustrations – Draw, color, and label a picture
of your graduated cylinder after all 5 of the
liquids have been added and settled out, as
well as the nylon spacer.
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Write at least 2 paragraphs analyzing and
explaining your observations. Make sure that
you use the words “density” and “immiscible”
(that cannot undergo mixing or blending) in
your description.
Oil is less dense than water. Write a
paragraph explaining how this information
can be applied to cleaning up a spill from an
oil tanker or oil rig.
Karo Syrup with 1 drop of red food coloring
Dish Soap
Water with 1 drop of Green(Pd 1) or Yellow food
coloring
Vegetable Oil
Rubbing Alcohol with 1 drop of blue & 1 drop of red
food coloring