November

In this lab, students are tasked with determining the density of different types of coins (pennies and nickels) using water displacement. Here’s a summary of the main learning objectives and skills:

1. Understanding Density: Students will explore the concept of density, defined as mass per unit volume, and learn that different metals have different densities due to atomic arrangement and mass.

2. Measuring Mass and Volume: Using a balance to find the mass of coins and water displacement in a graduated cylinder to find the volume, students will record and calculate the necessary data.

3. Calculating Density: Students will use the formula Density=MassVolume\text{Density} = \frac{\text{Mass}}{\text{Volume}}Density=VolumeMass​ to calculate the density of the coins based on their recorded data.

4. Comparing Experimental Results to Known Densities: The students will compare their calculated densities with known values for metals (e.g., copper, zinc) to infer the main composition of the coins, thereby gaining insights into material properties.

5. Critical Thinking and Error Analysis: The lab includes questions for analyzing and discussing the results, such as the accuracy of their measurements and possible improvements in procedure.

This activity reinforces the concepts of density and measurement while also fostering data collection, calculation, and analytical skills.

This lab is due November 6.