Read this ENTIRE page so that you are aware of ALL of the requirements.
The concept of "Flinking" is for an object to neither float or sink...Flink. The real concept is called "Neutral Buoyancy" Click the link to the left to see how NASA uses Neutral Buoyancy to train Astronauts for working in space!
Neutral buoyancy occurs when an object's average density is equal to the density of the fluid in which it is immersed, resulting in the buoyant force balancing the force of gravity that would otherwise cause the object to sink (if the body's density is greater than the density of the fluid in which it is immersed) or rise (if it is less). An object that has neutral buoyancy will neither sink nor rise.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutral_buoyancy#:~:text=Neutral%20buoyancy%20occurs%20when%20an,which%20it%20is%20immersed)%20orPurpose of this Challenge: To predict how many paper clips they would have to attach to the packing peanut in order to get it to “flink” for 10 seconds. The object of your challenge is to make a packing peanut "Flink" - Neither float or sink...Flink. You must make it have "Neutral Buoyancy" (Be all the way under the water, but no part of the packing peanut or the paper clips touch the sides or the bottom of the container or the surface of the water). Refer back to your background knowledge on what makes something float and what makes something sink.
Design our own “flinker” out of the Styrofoam “peanuts” and paper clip(s).
Test it in the water, THEN change one thing at a time in your design to make the “flinker” work better. RECORD what you changed.
Keep changing your design until your “flinker” can be all the way under the water, but no part of the packing peanut or the paper clips touch the sides or the bottom of the container or the surface of the water for at least 10 seconds With every change, record the sketch or photo on the lab sheet.
Do you have an idea for some other type of "Flinker?" Let your GATE teacher know and lets give it a try!