Title: Mass and Volume Lab (Density of Metal)
Objectives:
 Students are able to measure the volume and mass of solid objects using mathematic
formula and water displacement.
 Students are able to calculate density and understand the density of a material remains the
same regardless of size and mass.
 Students are able to use density to identify a mystery metal.
Teacher notes and overview of daily lessons
Day 1: lab
It is a 90 min lesson for students to think about density, measure the mass and volume of
three metal pieces in groups, calculate the density and make bar graph about the mass, volume
and density of the pieces, and draw conclusions about density.
There are two kinds of metal pieces, iron and aluminum. Students will get either iron or
aluminum to do the lab. Class discussion will find all the iron (or aluminum) from different
groups have similar density. Using regular shaped metal pieces will make calculating volume
from LxWxH more simple. Students need review how to measure volume with ruler.
Day 2: Debrief the lab and have students do analysis questions and rate themselves as
contributing group members. Review results and application to real world- why might
scientists test the density of things? Why might it matter to our lives? Watch video on
Aluminum particles and then intro wkst #2. Begin with students and model it. Have them
complete and rotate around room to check for understanding how to diagram volume, mass,
density with particles.
Day 3: Does dense=heavy? Use a demo of a wine cork with more mass and a rubber stopper
with less mass (predict what they will do in water and then mass them and predict again)- Now
show cork and stopper in beaker of water. Why does cork with more mass float? Review
diagrams and how to show particles more spread apart
Detailed Daily Plan
Warm-up/Entry Task:
 List 3 things that you think are dense and 3 things you think are not dense
 What’s the difference between dense and heavy?
Materials (per station or group of students)
1. Balance: 1
2. 100 ml Graduated cylinder:1
3. 100 ml beaker: 1
4. Metal pieces: 3
5. Water bottle: 1
Density
Element
Symbol
Aluminum
Al
Calcium
Ca
1.54
Copper
Cu
8.96
Gold
Au
19.3
Iron
Fe
7.87
Lead
Pb
11.3
Nickel
Ni
8.9
Platinum
Pt
21.5
Potassium
K
0.89
Titanium
Ti
4.51
Uranium
U
19.1
g/cm3
2.7
Part I Density of the metal piece
Prediction:
Examine the metal you have at your table. What kind of metal do you think it is? What can we measure to be
absolutely sure?
Volume Equation:
Volume = length (cm) x width (cm) x height (cm)
Density Equation:
Density = mass / volume
Procedure (L x W x H volume):
1. Use a ruler to measure the length, width and height of the metal piece 1 and record in table
2. Calculate the volume of metal pieces. Remember volume = length × width × height
3. Mass the metal piece on the balance and record on the data table
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for a stack of 2 metal pieces and a stack of 3 metal pieces
5. Calculate the density for each set of volume and masses
Procedure (volume displacement):
1. Measure and record the mass of 1 metal piece
2. Use the water displacement method to determine the volume of the metal piece. (Carefully drop the
metal piece into the graduated cylinder, record the change in volume)
3. Repeat steps 1-2 for a stack of 2 metal pieces and a stack of 3 metal pieces
4. Calculate the density for each set of volume and masses
Data table: Density of metal pieces
Number
of metal
pieces
Mass
(g)
Length
(cm)
Width
(cm)
Height
(cm)
Volume
(cm3)
Volume (ml)
Water
displacement
Density
(g/cm3)
1
2
3
Part II Graph


Draw bar graphes
a. Mass of the metal vs number of metal pieces
b. Volume of the metal vs number of metal pieces
c. Density of the metal vs number of metal pieces
What is the relationship of the number of metal pieces to the density of the metal?
Part III Identify the metal
According to the density chart provided and the density you calculated of your metal piece, what kind of metal
is it?
Option for Data Sharing: Pair students groups together to compare data using
guiding questions:
In order to learn more about density, mass, and volume, you will share your data with a group who had a
different unknown metal. Please ask each other (patiently, respectfully, and as a scientist) the following:
1. What kind of metal do you think you have and what evidence do you have to prove it?
2. What was the most challenging part of this lab? What was the best part of this lab?
3. What is the difference between mass and density?
Now switch roles, and the other group will ask the questions.
After both groups have asked/answered the questions, work together to answer questions 4,5,6.
4. What is the difference between the mass of our metal and your metal?
5. What is the difference between the volume of our metal and your metal?
6. What is the difference between the density of our metal and your metal?
Discussion
1. As you added more pieces of metal, how did mass change? And volume? And density?
2. What does this lab tell us about density, mass, and volume?
White board discussion :
Students show the density graph on the white board and the density of the object.
Students state the relationship between density of object and amount of the object
Exit Slip
Put the following in order from MOST dense to LEAST dense:
• Wood block, Styrofoam block, lead block (They are all 10cm³)
Station signs (to print/photocopy)
Station A (L x W x H volume):
1. Use a ruler to measure the length, width and height of the metal piece 1 and record in table
2. Calculate the volume of metal pieces. Remember volume = length × width × height
3. Mass the metal piece on the balance and record on the data table
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for a stack of 2 metal pieces and a stack of 3 metal pieces
5. Calculate the density for each set of volume and masses
Station B (volume displacement):
1. Measure and record the mass of 1 metal piece
2. Use the water displacement method to determine the volume of the metal piece.
a. Fill the graduate cylinder with 30 ml of water
b. Carefully drop the metal piece into the graduated cylinder,
c. record the change in volume in the data table
3. Repeat steps 1-2 for a stack of 2 metal pieces and a stack of 3 metal pieces
4. Calculate the density for each set of volume and masses
Day 2 Debrief
Objective
Students will reinforce the density concept in the lab yesterday.
Analysis Questions (record in your journal):
1. As you added more pieces of metal, how did mass of the system change? And volume? And density?
(check your graphs)
2. What does your data tell you about the relationship between density, mass, and volume?
3. What question or confusion do you have about density, mass, or volume?
4. Rate yourself on how you contributed to the science learning as a group member:
0 didn’t do
1 I distracted
the lab
work
my group
2 I somewhat helped
my group
3 I mostly worked &
4 100% effort
helped my group
and group
5. Put the following in order from LEAST dense to MOST dense:
Wood block, Styrofoam block, lead block (They are all 10cm³)
Watch Video:
Watch this video on Aluminum particles. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4mv3m_zoom-intoaluminium_tech
Remember our mystery metal lab and complete worksheet #2
Day 3
Objective: Does heavy = dense?
ET: Make a prediction: Does the heavier object with more mass always sink?
Entry task: display a stopper and a cork on the front desk
Ask students predict which one is heavier, which one is denser, what they will behave in water?
Demo 1, take mass of both objects
Ask students to record observation,
Demo 2, put stopper and cork in water
Ask students to record observation
Class discussion of stopper and cork,
Which one is has more mass? What is your evidence?
Which one is more dense? What is you evidence?
How do you show in particle model?
I predict that the _______________________ will have more mass and the ___________________ will sink
because it is more dense.
Draw diagram of your prediction what will happen when the cork and the rubber stopper are put in a beaker of
water:
Cork mass _______ g
Copy these in your notebook:
Rubber Stopper mass _______ g
Rules for Particle Diagrams




use dots or other clear shapes to represent particles
if there is another substance in a mixture, represent the second type of particles with a different shape
than the first substance to show the difference
number of particles=MASS (if more mass, show more dots for particles—we should be able to clearly
count them)
how close together particles are= DENSITY (if more dense, show particles closer together)
Lab Discussions
1. Measurements: how accurate do you read the measurement with ruler, graduated
cylinder, balance?
2. Which method do you prefer to measure the volume, math calculation or water
replacement? Why
3. How do you determine the density of an object?
4. Do you think density of an object is useful? Why?