Density Tank Activities
Experiment 1: Convection with Heat
Supplies
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Density Tank
Cool water
Five Styrofoam cups
Pipette
Red food coloring
Very hot water
Instructions
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Put 2-3 inches of cool water in density tank
Put tank on top of two sets of stacked Styrofoam cups (four cups total)
Allow water to stabilize for a few minutes
Using the pipette, insert three drops of red food coloring evenly spaced along the bottom
of the tank
5. Fill last Styrofoam cup with very hot water and place under the center red dot of food
coloring in the tank
6. Observe for several minutes and record observations
7. Work with your team to write a short paragraph that explains what happened and why
Experiment 2: Convection with Heat and Cold
Supplies
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Density Tank
Room temperature water
Five Styrofoam cups
Pipette
Red food coloring
Very hot water
Blue food coloring
Instructions
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Make blue ice cubes by freezing water with blue food coloring in an ice cube tray
Put 2-3 inches of room temperature water in density tank
Put tank on top of two sets of stacked Styrofoam cups (four cups total)
Allow water to stabilize for a few minutes
5. Using the pipette, insert one drop of red food coloring on the bottom of the tank on one
side only
6. Fill the last Styrofoam cup with very hot water and place under the red dot of food
coloring
7. Put blue ice softly into the water on the opposite side of the tank from the red dot
8. Observe for several minutes and record observations
9. Work with your team to write a short paragraph that explains what happened and why
Experiment 3: Convection Incline (Salt vs. Temperature)
Supplies
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Density Tank
Room temperature water
Very cold water
Very hot water
Wooden block (or equivalent object 1-2 inches in height)
Small beaker
Salt
Red food coloring
Green food coloring
Blue food coloring
Yellow good coloring
Instructions
1. Place one side of density tank on a wooden block so that one side is higher than the other
2. Put 2-3 inches of room temperature water in the density tank (as measured by lower side)
3. In beaker, mix 25 ml of room temperature water with 1 teaspoon of salt and some yellow
food coloring
4. Pour water slowly and gently into higher side of density tank
5. Observe for a minute and record observations
6. In beaker, mix 25 ml of very cold water with some blue food coloring
7. Pour water slowly and gently into higher side of density tank
8. Observe for a minute and record observations
9. In beaker, mix 25 ml of very hot water with some red food coloring
10. Pour water slowly and gently into higher side of density tank
11. Observe for a minute and record observations
12. In beaker, mix 25 ml of very cold water with 1 teaspoon of salt and some green food
coloring
13. Pour water slowly and gently into higher side of density tank
14. Observe for a minute and record observations
15. Work with your team to write a short paragraph that explains what happened and why
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