Sink and Float

All you need for this experiment is a bucket of water and any items you can find around the house. Find things made out of different materials (ex. plastic, metal, wood) that won't break if they get wet. Before putting each item in the bucket, make a prediction, do you think it will sink or float in the water? Why do you think that? Then toss it in and see if your prediction was right! After you're done testing all your items, what do you notice about the items that sank? What were they made out of? What about the items that floated? Were they made of something different? What did you have more of: items that floated, or items that sank?

Extension: Try adding salt to the water and see what happens when you add items.

Materials:

• Large Bowl, Bucket, Pan

• Water

• Different food items

• Towel