Station 1: The Universal Solvent
1. Put a pinch of salt in Beaker A, which contains 100 mL of water.
2. Stir vigorously for 1 minute and record your observations.
3. Beaker B, which contains 100 mL of oil, already has salt in it. Stir contents of
Beaker B vigorously for 1 minute and record your observations.
Clean-up: Leave Beaker B as you found it. Pour contents of Beaker A into the
sink, rinse and dry and replace with 100 mL of fresh water. Rinse and dry stirring
rods and return station as you found it.
Station 2: Water on a Penny
1. Locate the penny and predict how many drops of water the penny can hold
before it overflows. Record your prediction in data table.
2. Using the plastic pipette, count the number of water drops you can place on
the head side of your penny before the water spills over the side. Record this
number in your data table. Repeat trial.
3. Add approximately 2.5 mL of powdered laundry detergent to the beaker of tap
water. Use the pipette to stir until completely dissolved.
4. Repeat Step 2 using the detergent solution. Record the numbers in your data
table.
Clean-up: Discard plastic pipette in the garbage. Thoroughly rinse beaker to
remove all traces of detergent solution and refill with 200 mL of clean tap water.
Dry penny and return station as you found it.
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
©Science Island
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Station 3: Floating a Paper Clip
1. Obtain a paper clip, a fork and a petri dish.
2. Fill the petri dish to the top with tap water.
3. Using a steady hand, carefully use the fork to rest the paper clip onto the
surface of the water. Record your observations.
4. Remove the paper clip and add a pinch of salt to the water in the petri dish.
5. Try to rest paper clip onto the surface of the water.
6. Record your observations in the data table.
Clean-up: Rinse out petri dish. Also, rinse and dry off fork and paperclip. Return
station as you found it.
Station 4: Density Differences
1. Pour 10 mL of corn syrup into the graduated cylinder.
2. Slowly add 10 mL of colored water to the graduated cylinder by tipping it
gently and pouring liquid down the side of the cylinder.
3. Slowly add 10 mL of vegetable oil to the graduated cylinder, again, by tipping
the cylinder and pouring the oil down the side.
4. Carefully and slowly add 10 mL of green isopropyl alcohol to the graduated
cylinder. Record your observations in your data table.
5. Securely cover the mouth of the graduated cylinder with the palm of your
hand and carefully invert it 3 times. Allow the cylinder to sit for at least one
minute. Record your observations.
Clean-up: Pour the contents of the graduated cylinder down the sink. Wash the
graduated cylinder thoroughly using dishwashing liquid and a test tube brush.
Return station as you found it.
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
©Science Island
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Station 5: “Climbing” Water
1. Obtain a strip of paper towel and using the black marker, place a small dot in
the center of the strip about one inch from the bottom. Allow to dry
completely.
2. Fill a 50 mL graduated cylinder with 10 mL of water.
3. Place strip of paper towel in the graduated cylinder so that the end is just
touching the water and the black dot is ABOVE the water line.
4. Using the stopwatch, time how long it takes the water to reach the top.
5. Calculate the rate of water flow (cm/min) and record observations in the data
table.
Clean-up: Throw away the paper towel and set up the station as you found it.
Station 6: Milk Rainbow
1. Obtain a paper plate and pour 50 mL of milk in to cover the bottom.
2. Add one drop of each of color of food coloring close to each other (but not
touching) near the center of the plate.
3. Predict what will happen when you gently touch the milk in the middle of the
plate with a clean cotton swab.
4. Touch the milk in the middle of the plate with the cotton swab. Record your
observations.
5. Predict what will happen when you gently touch the milk in the middle of the
plate with a cotton swab dipped in dishwashing liquid.
6. Dip the cotton swab in soap and touch it to the milk in the middle of the plate.
Record your observations.
Clean-up: Pour milk down the drain and throw away paper plate and used cotton
swabs. Clean and set up station as you found it.
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
©Science Island
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Station 7: Ice is Cool
1. Obtain three pieces of ice and complete Part A and Part B of this station.
Part A.
1. Fill the beaker with about 30 mL warm water.
2. Add the ice cube to the beaker and immediately record the water level in the beaker.
3. Predict how much the water level will rise when the ice cube melts.
4. Complete Part B while you are waiting for ice cube to melt.
5. After the ice has melted, record your observations.
Part B.
1. Squeeze two ice cubes together will all your strength for 20 seconds.
2. Let go and observe what happened to the ice cubes.
3. Go back to Part A and complete step 5.
Clean-up: Pour all water down the drain and make sure your station is dry and set up as you
found it.
Station 1: The Universal Solvent
Note: Cut and laminate each station card so they can be re-used.
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
©Science Island
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Teacher’s Guide – Properties of Water Lab
Comprehensive Material List for 7 Lab Groups
Laboratory Equipment
beakers
 50 mL
 100 mL, 4
 150 mL
 200 mL, 2
 250 mL
 500 mL, 2
graduated cylinders
 100 mL
 50 mL
stirring rods, 2
penny
paper clip
plastic fork
petri dish
black marker, water-based
stopwatch or timer
2.5 mL (½ tsp) measuring spoon
test tube brush
several small bowls or cups
hot plate & beaker to warm water, if you
don’t have access to warm tap water
Optional: balance
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
Consumables
plastic pipettes, 7
vegetable oil, approx. 200 mL
salt, approx. 45 mL (3 Tbsp)
powdered laundry detergent, approx. 20 mL
(4 tsp)
corn syrup, 70-80 mL
isopropyl alcohol, 70-80 mL
paper towel, cut into 7 strips, 1.5 cm wide
paper plates, 7
milk (whole works best), 400 mL
food coloring (green, red, blue, yellow)
cotton swabs, 14
dishwashing liquid, approx. 15 mL (1 Tbsp) +
additional for cleaning
ice cubes, about 2 dozen
water, warm and room temperature
Optional: transparent tape, small plate
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Station 1: Universal Solvent
Materials:
 2- 200 mL beakers
 100 mL water
 100 mL vegetable oil
 salt, approx. 15 mL (1 Tbsp) in a small bowl or cup
 stirring rods, 2
Set Up Notes:
 Set out two beakers labeled A and B
 Add 100 mL of tap water to Beaker A
 Add 100 mL of vegetable oil and 3 Tbsp of salt to Beaker B (Note: Beaker B contains
more salt than Beaker A so that it’s easier for students to see the salt. This is not a
controlled experiment.)
 Optional: You may wish to add a spatula or plastic spoon for dispensing the salt.
 Optional: A stopwatch or timer could be used for timing.
Procedure:
1. Put a pinch of salt in Beaker A, which contains 100 mL of water.
2. Stir vigorously for 1 minute and record your observations.
3. Beaker B, which contains 100 mL of oil, already has salt in it. Stir contents of Beaker B
vigorously for 1 minute and record your observations.
Clean-up: Leave Beaker B as you found it. Pour contents of Beaker A into the sink, rinse and
dry and replace with 100 mL of fresh water. Rinse and dry stirring rods and return station as
you found it.
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
©Science Island
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Station 2: Water on a Penny
Materials:
 penny
 plastic pipettes, 7
 powdered laundry detergent, approx. 20 mL (4 tsp) in a small bowl or cup
 250 mL beaker filled with about 200 mL of water
 2.5 mL measuring spoon (or ½ tsp)
Set Up Notes:
 Optional: You may prefer to give students the opportunity to use a balance to measure
the mass of the laundry detergent. If so, each group will need approx. 3 grams of
detergent, for a total of 21 grams. If you choose this option, please remember to change
the station instruction card accordingly.
Procedure:
1. Locate the penny and predict how many drops of water the penny can hold before it
overflows. Record your prediction in the data table.
2. Using the plastic pipette, count the number of water drops you can place on the head side
of your penny before the water spills over the side. Record this number in your data table.
3. Perform an additional trial and record the number of drops in your data table.
4. Add approximately ½ teaspoon of powdered laundry detergent to the beaker of water. Use
the pipette to stir until the detergent is completely dissolved.
5. Repeat Step 2 using the detergent solution. Record the number in your data table.
6. Perform an additional trial.
Clean-up: Discard plastic pipette in the garbage. Thoroughly rinse beaker to remove all traces
of detergent solution and refill with 200 mL of clean tap water. Dry penny and return station
as you found it.
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
©Science Island
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Station 3: Floating a Paper Clip
Materials:
 paper clip
 plastic fork
 petri dish
 salt, approx. 20 mL (4 tsp) in a small bowl or cup
 water, about 300 mL in a 500 mL beaker
 Optional: small dish or plate, such as styrofoam
Set Up Notes:
 Having the water available at the station in a large beaker or flask will make it easier for
students to fill the petri dish to the top.
 You may wish to place the petri dish on a small dish or plate to catch water that may be
spilled during filling or clean-up.
 If students have trouble using the fork in step 3, they may try slowly sliding the paper
clip horizontally from the side of the petri dish onto the surface of the water.
Procedure:
1. Obtain a paper clip, a fork and a petri dish.
2. Fill the petri dish to the top with tap water.
3. Using a steady hand, carefully use the fork to rest the paper clip onto the surface of the
water. Record your observations.
4. Remove the paper clip and add a pinch of salt to the water in the petri dish.
5. Try to rest paper clip onto the surface of the water.
6. Record your observations in the data table.
Clean-up: Rinse out petri dish. Also, rinse and dry off fork and paperclip. Return station as you
found it.
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
©Science Island
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Station 4: Density Differences
Materials:
 100 mL beakers, 4, labeled and filled with 70-80 mL of the following liquids:
-corn syrup
-colored water, red or blue
-vegetable oil
-isopropyl alcohol with green food coloring added
 100 mL graduated cylinder
 dishwashing liquid and a test tube brush for clean-up
 food coloring, as listed above
Set Up Notes:
 Any color of food coloring may be used for the water and alcohol, but choose colors that
contrast well with each other for a better effect.
 Food coloring may also be added to corn syrup if you prefer.
 If you are interested in adding more layers, honey is more dense than corn syrup,
dishwashing liquid has a density between that of corn syrup and water, and baby oil is
less dense than isopropyl alcohol.
 After using the food coloring, leave it for students at station 6.
Procedure:
1. Pour 10 mL of corn syrup into a 100 mL graduated cylinder.
2. Slowly add 10 mL of colored water to the graduated cylinder by tipping it gently and pouring
liquid down the side of the cylinder.
3. Slowly add 10 mL of vegetable oil to the graduated cylinder by again by tipping and pouring
down side.
4. Carefully and slowly add 10 mL of green isopropyl alcohol to the graduated cylinder.
5. Record your observations in your data table.
6. Securely cover the mouth of the graduated cylinder with the palm of your hand and
carefully invert it 3 times. Allow the cylinder to sit for at least one minute. Record your
observations.
7. Clean-up: Pour the contents of the graduated cylinder down the sink and wash the cylinder
thoroughly using dishwashing liquid and a test tube brush. Return station as you found it.
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
©Science Island
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Station 5: “Climbing” Water
Materials:
 paper towel – cut into 7 strips that are about 1.5 cm wide
 black marker (vis-à-vis works well, or some other water based)
 50 mL graduated cylinder
 water, about 100 mL in a 150 mL beaker
 stopwatch
 Optional: transparent tape
Set Up Notes:
 Paper towels vary in size, so just make sure your strips are long enough to touch the
water in the bottom of the graduated cylinder.
Procedure:
1. Obtain a strip of paper towel and, using the black marker, place a small dot about one inch
from the bottom. Allow to dry completely.
2. Add 10 mL of water to the 50 mL graduated cylinder.
3. Place the strip of paper towel in the graduated cylinder so that the end is just touching the
water and the black dot is ABOVE the water line. You may want to use tape to secure the
paper strip at the top of the graduated cylinder.
5. Using the stopwatch, time how long it takes the water to reach the top.
6. Calculate the rate of water flow (cm/min) and record observations in the data table.
7. Clean-up: Throw away the paper towel and set up the station as you found it.
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
©Science Island
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Station 6: Milk Rainbow
Materials:
 paper plates, 7
 milk (2% or whole), about 400 mL in a 500 mL beaker
 food coloring - blue, red, green, yellow
 cotton swabs, 14
 dishwashing liquid, approx. 15 mL (1 Tbsp) in a small cup or bowl
Set up Notes:
 If you think students will make a mess with the milk in the large beaker, you may decide
to set up small beakers or graduated cylinders with 50 mL of milk ?????
Procedure:
1. Obtain a paper plate and pour 50 mL of milk in to cover the bottom. Allow the milk to
settle.
2. Add one drop of each of color of food coloring close to each other (but not touching) near
the center of the plate.
3. Predict what will happen when you gently touch the milk in the middle of the plate with a
clean cotton swab.
4. Touch the milk in the middle of the plate with the cotton swab and record your
observations.
5. Predict what will happen when you gently touch the milk in the middle of the plate with a
cotton swab dipped in dish soap.
6. Dip the cotton swab in soap and touch the milk in the middle of the plate. Record your
observations.
7. Clean-up: Pour milk down the drain and throw away paper plate and used cotton swabs.
Clean and set up station as you found it.
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
©Science Island
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Station 7: Ice is Cool
Materials:
 ice cubes, 21
 beaker, 50 mL
 warm water, about 250 mL
 optional: stopwatch or timer
Set Up Notes:
 Warm tap water is all that is required, but if you don’t have warm water running to your
classroom, you may need to set up a hot plate to warm water in a large beaker or flask;
about 100 - 110 degrees is all you need. In a pinch, you can use room temperature
water, but it will, of course, take longer for the ice cube to melt.
 I like to do this experiment in a graduated cylinder, because it is easier to see the water
volume. But, it is sometimes difficult to find ice cubes that are skinny enough to fit into
the cylinder.
 You can also use a small transparent cup and students can mark the water level on the
outside.
Procedure:
Obtain three pieces of ice and complete Part A and Part B of this station.
Part A.
1. Fill the beaker with about 30 mL warm water.
2. Add the ice cube to the beaker and immediately record the water level in the beaker.
3. Predict how much the water level will rise when the ice cube melts.
4. Complete Part B while you are waiting for ice cube to melt.
5. After the ice has melted, record your observations.
Part B.
1. Squeeze two ice cubes together will all your strength for about 20 seconds.
2. Let go and observe what happened to the ice cubes. Record your observations.
3. Go back to Part A and complete step 5.
Clean-up: Pour all water down the drain and make sure your station is dry and set up as you
found it.
Set Up Guide - Properties of Water
©Science Island
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