Student Name:
Making a Density Salad!
Directions: You are making a density salad! Use your knowledge of density to perform the
tasks assigned and complete this worksheet.
1. To make a salad, you first need to prepare the salad dressing. You get some oil, vinegar,
seasoning herbs, and mix them together. As you pour the two liquids into a bottle, you
start to wonder about their densities. Write a detailed procedure for finding the density
of 10 ml of oil and 15 ml of vinegar.
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2. What will be the effect of changing the volume of oil on its density? In other words, if
you took 20 ml of oil instead of 10 ml, would the density of oil change? Explain.
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3. What will be the effect of changing the volume of vinegar on its density? In other words,
if you took 5 ml of oil instead of 15 ml, would the density of vinegar change? Explain.
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4. Gather data to calculate the density of 10 ml of oil and 15 ml of vinegar. Show all the
calculations.
Mass of
Mass of
Mass of liquid Volume of Density of
Substance
graduated
graduated
liquid
liquid
cylinder
cylinder + liquid
5. To make the dressing, you have to now mix the two liquids. Predict how these liquids
will behave when they are mixed. Use the density calculations from above to support
your reasoning.
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6. Now make a density column based on your prediction.
Density Column Based on Prediction
7. Pour the vinegar into the graduated cylinder containing oil and make a density column
based on your observations.
Density Column Based on Observations
8. Do your observations support your hypothesis? Write a complete sentence.
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9. Now it’s time to put some seasoning herbs to make the salad! As you add the herbs to
the dressing, you notice that the herbs sink to the bottom. What does this tell you about
the density of the seasoning herbs in comparison with the oil and vinegar?
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10. Time to add some vegetables! You need to cut some lettuce, cucumbers, carrots and
green onions, and throw them all into a bowl. As you are chopping the vegetables, you
start to wonder about the density of the croutons- solid, block shaped objects. Write a
detailed procedure for finding the density of a crouton.
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11. How will the density of this crouton change if you broke it in half? Explain.
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12. Collect data and calculate the density of a crouton. Show all calculations.
Length
Width
Height
Volume
Mass
Substance
13. Go back to step 6 and in the prediction density column you made, predict and draw
where the crouton will rest if you dropped it in with the oil and vinegar.
14. After making the prediction, drop the crouton in the density column and record your
observations in the observation density column under step 7.
Density
15. Your salad still needs all the veggies you cut. You also wonder about the density of the
irregularly shaped carrot. Write a detailed procedure for finding the density of an
irregular object.
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16. Make a data table to collect data and calculate the density of the carrot.
Substance
Mass of
substance
Volume of
water in
graduated
cylinder
Volume of
water +
substance
Volume of
substance
Density
17. Go back to step 6 and in the prediction density column you made, predict and draw
where the carrot will rest if you dropped it in with the oil, vinegar and a crouton.
18. After making the prediction, drop the carrot in the density column and record your
observations in the observation density column under step 7.
19. Do the observations support the prediction?
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20. Discuss with your partner how learning density has changed the way you view the world
around you. Have you discovered something interesting along the way? Give me 3-5
examples of everyday occurrences that can be explained by density (for example, a
boat’s anchor sinks in water because its density is greater than 1.0 g/cm3). Be original
and creative with these ideas!
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