EXPLORE, Part 1
Handout
Name ______________________________
Date _______________________________
Unique Properties of Water
Station 1: Water—The Universal Solvent
Data:
Substance
Prediction
Alcohol
Data on Solubility
Oil
Sand
Salt
Flour
Cornstarch
Sugar
Soap Flakes
Analysis:
1. Did all of the substances dissolve in water? If no, which substances did not dissolve in water?
2. Water is a polar molecule. What does this mean?
3. What can we determine about the polarity of the substances based on the solubility of each
substance?
4. Does water’s polarity help it to act as a universal solvent? Why or why not?
5. How does water’s ability to be a universal solvent help us in our everyday life?
Station 2: Polar Pals
Data:
Beaker
Beaker 1
Beaker 2
Beaker 3
Observations
Analysis:
1. Which substance was soluble in water? Why?
2. Which substance was insoluble in water? Why?
3. Did the liquids in the last beaker mix? Why or why not?
Station 3: Sinkin’ Lincoln
Data:
Substance
Prediction of Number of Drops
before Overflow
Actual Number of Drops
Before Overflow
Plain Water
Soapy Water
Sketch:
Analysis:
1. Surface tension is created by forces between molecules. Are the forces cohesive or
adhesive? Explain your answer.
2. What did the soap do to the surface tension of the water? Explain your answer.
3. How does surface tension explain the pain a swimmer feels when he jumps off the diving
board and does a belly buster?
Station 4: Passengers in a Boat
Data:
Number of
Mass of
Mass of boat
pennies needed empty boat and pennies
to sink boat
Volume of
boat
Density of
empty boat
Density of
boat with
pennies
Sketch:
Analysis:
1. What is buoyancy and how does it relate to this lab?
2. Does the mass of the boat affect the buoyancy? Why or why not?
3. How are the concepts of buoyancy and density used to design boats that will float on water?
Station 5: A Density Column
Data:
Object
Wooden Object
Observations
Plastic Object
Aluminum Ball
Sketch:
Analysis:
1. If water’s density is 1.0 g/mL, what can be determined about the other liquids’ densities in the
column?
2. Rank the densities of the liquids and the solids from most dense to least dense.
3. Using this information, explain how the Titanic could float on water.
Station 6: Capillary Action
Data:
Beaker
1
Observations
2
3
Analysis:
1. Is capillary action a cohesive or adhesive force? Explain your answer.
2. Which liquid experienced the greatest capillary action? Explain your answer.
3. How do plants use capillary action to acquire water?
Station 7: Go With the Flow
Data:
Flow of Water
Observations
Initial Flow of Water
Flowing Together
Flowing Separating
Analysis:
1. Which direction does the water flow when you first take the tape off the bottom of the can?
2. What causes the attraction of the water to begin flowing together?
3. What allows the water to continue to flow in one stream?