Density Stations Lab
Teacher notes: Have students fold lined paper in half so they can use front and back to record observations and answers
to questions for each station in a “block”. One class period for just 4 stations. Double if you do 8 stations. Quadruple if
you do 8 stations & 2 periods. Expect station 1 to take longer than others.
Station 1: Density of a cube
Materials
3 solid prisms (cornstarch, baking soda, & Dixie cup boxes work great)
1 ruler
1 scale
1 calculator
Station 2: Displacement Method of Finding Volume
Materials
3 small rocks
1 100 ml graduated cylinder
1 400 ml beakers
1 calculator
water
Station 3: Density of an Odd Shape
Materials
Grease pencil
Action figure
Scale
100 ml graduated cylinder
1 600 ml beakers
water
Station 4: Solid vs. Liquid Density
Materials
1 600 mL beakers (used cubes)
5 300 mL beakers
5 plastic Ziploc bags (for cubes; re freeze between rotations)
5 plastic cups (for cubes at start of each rotation)
Paper towels
will be enough for 2 periods & 8 stations:
5 ice cube trays (freeze night before)
1 liter soda
½ gallon milk
½ gallon Juice
½ gallon water
1/gallon coffee, cooled
Density Stations Lab
Station 1: Density of a cube
Directions: You will need to answer the questions below on a piece of lined paper. You do not need a separate paper for
each station. To earn full credit your work must be neat with proper header and format.
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠
Density = 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
D=
𝑚
𝑣
1. Make this data table on your paper.
Prism
2.
3.
4.
5.
Volume = length x width x height
m
v
lxwxh
V=lxwxh
D
Mass: using the scale measure the mass of each prism; record results in data table
Volume: measure length, width, and height of each prism; multiple results and record in data table
Density: for each prism divide mass by volume; record results in data table
𝑚
Solve: D = 𝑣
material a: mass = 3.6 grams
volume = 12 ml
density = ______
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠
𝑚𝑙
material b: mass = 8.1 grams
volume = 9 ml
density = ______
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠
𝑚𝑙
material c: mass = 7.2 grams
volume = 0.36 ml
density = ______
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠
𝑚𝑙
6. If a solid is less dense than a liquid, the solid will float. From step 5 which material will float in water (water has a
density of about 1.0)?
Density Stations Lab
Station 2: Displacement Method of Finding Volume
Directions: You will need to answer the questions below on a piece of lined paper. You do not need a separate paper for
each station. To earn full credit your work must be neat with proper header and format.
You cannot use a ruler to measure the volume (length x width x height) of an irregular shape, such as a rock. That is why
we use the displacement method.
1. Make this data table on your paper.
Rock
1st Volume
1
2
3
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2nd Volume
Rock Volume
Fill graduated cylinder about half full with water. Record volume of water in data table.
Put one rock in the cylinder. Record the new volume in data table.
Pour out rock and water in beaker. Remove the rock from water and set aside.
Repeat steps 2 – 4 for the remaining two rocks.
If you subtract the 1st volume from the 2nd volume for each rock you will find the volume of the rock. Complete
the last column of your data table.
Density Stations Lab
Station 3: Density of an Odd Shape
Directions: You will need to answer the questions below on a piece of lined paper. You do not need a separate paper for
each station. To earn full credit your work must be neat with proper header and format.
You cannot use a ruler to measure the volume (length x width x height) of an irregular shape, such as a rock. That is why
we use the displacement method.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Using scale measure the mass of the action figure. Record your measurement.
Fill one beaker about halfway with water. Using grease pencil, make a small mark at the water level (volume).
Submerge action figure in water and mark the new water level (volume).
Remove action figure and set aside.
Fill graduated cylinder, to top mark, with water. Slowly pour graduated cylinder’s water into beaker until the
water level is back to the top mark.
6. Answer questions on your paper
a. How much water (volume) did the graduated cylinder 1st have?
b. How much water is left in the graduated cylinder?
c. How much water did you pour from the graduated cylinder into the beaker?
d. What is the volume of the action figure?
7. Pour out water and rub marks off the beaker.
Density Stations Lab
Station 4: Solid vs. Liquid Density
Directions: You will need to answer the questions below on a piece of lined paper. You do not need a separate paper for
each station. To earn full credit your work must be neat with proper header and format.
If a solid is less dense than a liquid, the solid will float in the liquid. You are going to hypothesize which substance, when
frozen (solid), will float in their liquid state. Remember a hypothesis is an, if then statement made before your
experiment (also known as an educated guess).
1. Make this data table on your paper.
If I put the solid for of a given
substance in its liquid state
Substance
Water
Milk
Soda
Juice
Coffee, cooled
Olive Oil
then it will…
Sink
Float
Hypothesis
correct?
y/n
2. For each substance, make a hypothesis about whether the solid state will sink or float in the liquid state.
3. One at a time, carefully place one solid state substance in its liquid state. Record if it your hypothesis was correct
or not.
4. Carefully remove the used ice cubes and place them in the beaker labeled “used”. Use paper towels to clean-up.
5. When a lake freezes, the frozen portion is on top. Does this experiment demonstrate why? Explain your answer.
6. We can ice skate on a lake of frozen what because the top portion is what freezes first. If a lake was made of any
of our other substances and frozen could we skate on any of them? Explain your answer.