Station 1 - Using a Graduated
Cylinder to measure liquid volumes
FIRST : Go to the Science blog and complete the ‘Reading a Graduated Cylinder
Activity” – each partner needs to do this activity on their own laptops
How is volume measured?
There are many ways!
To measure the volume of a liquid, we use a graduated cylinder. Make sure to
read the bottom of the meniscus (the curved surface of the liquid)
The curved surface of the
!
!
liquid is called the meniscus.
Get together with your lab partner. READ the directions carefully.
DIRECTIONS:
Take one of each of the three sizes of gradulated cylinder at station 1 and bring them back to
your table. Simply practice reading each cylinder – be careful, each cylinder is filled with a
specific volume of liquid.
• ALWAYS read the cylinder at eye level, from the bottom of the meniscus, and sitting
on a level surface.
• Measure to one decimal place if possible (usually only possible with the small graduated
cylinders)
• Complete the chart on your student answer sheet. Always include the units of
measurement
• Read the information in the tables below…you will need know this information!!
Science Tool of the Trade
What is the tool?
What does it
measure?
What units is it
measured in?
What are the
specific directions
when using this
tool?
Graduated Cylinder
Volume of a liquid
Milliliters (mL)
When reading the meniscus, make sure to read the bottom of
the curve.
Make sure to keep the graduated cylinder on a flat surface.
Read at eye level.
In most cases, measure to one decimal place.
Type of
Object
Volume of a
liquid
Volume of a
regular solid
Volume of a
lar
small irregu
solid
Volume of a
r
large irregula
solid
ol
Science To
Graduated
Cylinder
lxwxh
Graduated
Cylinder
Overflow
Container
Station 2
Measuring the volume of
regular solids
A regular solid is an object with measureable sides.
You determine the volume of regular solids
using a ruler and mathematics. To keep it
simple, we will use only cubes and cylinders.
Use the appropriate formula.
Measurement is the most accurate way to
find the volume of regular objects
Now you are ready for Station 2. Find the volume of one object at a
time using the formulas (measurements and answer should be rounded to
one decimal place).
Write your data in the table on the student
answer sheet and show your work.
Science Tool of the Trade
What is the tool?
What does it
measure?
What units is it
measured in?
What are the specific
directions when
using this tool?
Ruler
Volume of a regular object
Meters (m) and centimeters (cm)
Typically measure using centimeters in this unit.
Start your measurement from the 0 line.
In most cases, measure to one decimal place.
The formula for finding the volume of a:
Rectangular Solid:
Length x width x height
Cylinder:
3.14 x radius x radius x height
Station 3
Finding Volume through
Displacement
Read the story below about Archimedes and respond to the question
Text Application: on the answer sheet, explain how the crown story regarding
Archimedes applies to measuring VOLUME…you know…explain displacement in your
own words…
The relationship between ml and cm3
READ the directions carefully: COLLECT
20 plastic cubes (each is 1 cm3).
Use the most appropriate graduated cylinder
at station 3 to find the volume of the cubes
through displacement with the greatest
accuracy. COMPLETE THE TABLE and
answer the questions on the answer sheet.
HINTS:
* Use the smallest graduated
cylinder possible
* Fill cylinder with water
until meniscus is touching a
mark (graduation)
* GENTLY drop object into
cylinder – push in water with
a pencil tip if obect floats
* Take new measurement of
water level and subtract from
original water level
Station 4
Finding the Volume of Irregular object with
Graduated Cylinder
A irregular solid is an object with a volume
that cannot be calculated with a ruler
because of its shape (like the crown in the
Archimedes story).
So, since 1 cm3 = 1 mL, we can measure
the amount of water displaced (moved) by
the object to find its volume. If the object is
small enough to fit in a graduated cylinder,
always use the smallest cylinder possible to
find the volume – just like you found the
volume of the cubes in
Station 3.
Station 5
Finding the Volume of Irregular objects
using the
overflow container
Graduated cylinders are the most accurate device
to use when finding the volume of irregular
objects.
However, sometimes the cylinders are too small
for the objects we are measuring, so we have to
use an overflow container .
Science Tool of the Trade
What is the tool? Overflow Container
What does it
Volume of large irregular
measure?
objects
What units is it
milliliters (ml)
measured in?
What are the
Fill water to the very top
specific
Let the water settle
directions when
Drop item you wish to
using this tool?
measure inside carefully
Collect the water that
comes out of the arm
and measure in a
graduated cylinder
Which technique
should I use to find
Volume?!
Type of Object
Volume of a liquid
Volume of a regular
solid
Volume of a small
irregular solid
Volume of a large
irregular solid
Science Tool
Graduated
Cylinder
lxwxh
Graduated
Cylinder
Overflow
Container