SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Lesson 3

PHYSICAL SCIENCES – SCIENTIFIC METHOD

LESSON 3.  Indirect Methods to Solve Problems (Lab)

Objective: Determine the volume of an object by using mass and density.

Materials:

Physical Science – Volume
balances
mass weights (optional)

 Math Skills
           Slideshow:  Ratios and Proportions
           Script: Ratios and Proportions
 

Teacher Notes:

Fill your graduated cylind../../../math/NumbesFinal.htmler half way with water.  Drop the item and measure how much water was displaced.  This will be interpreted as the volume of the item.  On the lab sheet have them put the level before you drop in the item and then the level after in the first column.  Then put the volume in the appropriate column.

On the graduated cylinders make sure that students realize that you measure by the lowest part of the meniscus.  

The density of an object has to do with how the atoms and molecules are packed into that substance.  The masses of atoms and the spacing between atoms dictate the density of a substance. In this lab, the students will weigh objects in grams and determine their volumes in cubic centimeters.  Afterwards they will determine the density of the objects using the formula D=M/V. 

Introduce to students the equipment you have to determine mass.  If you have a triple beam balance go through the instructions of that specific equipment.  An electronic scale is also fine to use.

ANSWERS: 

Non metallic:  feldspar, magnetic marbles, aventurine, scoria
Metallic:  copper, bolt, hex bolt, hematite, round magnet