Science Buzz Around

All third grade students visited all three classrooms today for hands-on science experiments. These experiences foster a love of science, a belief in self (especially for the student who may struggle in a literacy based science class), exposure to scientific ways of knowing (how we learn about science), and specific content area.

In our room, we studied matter and properties of matter today. We learned:
- Everything is made of matter.
- Matter can be a solid, liquid, or gas.
- Matter has properties (reliable rules) it follows.
- Matter is composed of molecules, the building blocks (Legos) of all matter.
- Matter with tightly bound molecules are more dense.
- Matter with loosely bound molecules are less dense.
- One matter's density is relative to another matter's density.

We compared a sponge, low density, and a marble, high density, by putting them in water. The sponge floats because of its relatively low density to water. The marble sinks because of its relatively higher density.

We learned that volume or capacity do not indicate density. For example, our room is completely filled with air, but it has a relatively low density. A small brass weight takes up very little space but has a high   relative density to sponges, water, etc.

We discussed oil spills we've heard about on the news. We understood that oil remains on the surface. We inferred that oil must have a lower density than water. (We did not discuss why oil and water don't mix, only that they are good relative densities and they're both liquids. Since they don't mix, we can observe them, unlike a diet soda, which is less dense than water but mixes with water.).

We added water to small bottles of vegetable oil and observed the water sink to the bottom because of its higher relative density. We noted that gas (air) was at the top of the neck of the bottle. We added some food coloring (just colored water with the same properties of water) to the water so we could see the water more easily.

Finally, we added Alkaseltzer. As a solid, with a relatively higher density than water, we observed it fall to the bottom. As it mixed with the water the gas rose with a small layer of water surrounding it till it reached the top. Once it popped, the water sank to the bottom again, creating a "lava lamp" effect.

Your scientist is bringing their density lava lamp home tonight. You can repeat this experiment endlessly by adding small pieces of Alkaseltzer. Have fun. There were a lot of great questions.

Click to play video.
This is my favorite sound in the world:)