Water Labs
For ALL of these labs write a prediction of what will happen (beforehand) and
provide the reasoning. Also write the results of the experiment and a conclusion.
Experiment 1: Whassup?
1. Your fabulous instructor has set up two bottles one on top of the other. The
top bottle has a colored liquid and the bottom bottle is clear. Predict what
will happen when the plastic card is removed and give your reasoning.
Record the results after the card is removed. Does it agree or disagree with
your prediction? Explain further if you need to. Leave some space at the end
so that you can add or make corrections after the lecture (do this for all
experiments).
Experiment 2: What’s up is down
1. The bottles are about to be flipped. Make a prediction of what will
happened when the card is removed and provide your reasoning. Record the
results and write a conclusion.
Experiment 3: Up, down, not all around
1. 1. The two cups will be filled with liquids that will be used previously. One
cup will have the red liquid and the other will have the clear liquid that has
been dye blue. They will be placed on either end of the aquarium and then
both the top and the bottom stopper will be opened on both cups. Make a
prediction of what will happed and provide your reasoning. Record the
results, make a conclusion.
Experiment 4: Burst my bubble
1. Fill the shorter vial almost to the top with fresh water. Use a dropper and
add water to the top until it overflows. Take a picture of what this looks from
eye level. Yes, the taller people will have to bend down for this (others who
shall remain nameless, won’t have to). Give an explanation for what you see.
Leave some space after your answer if you need to correct your explanation
after the lecture.
2. Fill the taller vial near the top with fresh water. Make a prediction of what
will happen when you fill the top to overflowing. Explain why you think it
will be the same or different. Leave some space after your answer if you need
to correct your explanation after the lecture.
3. Actually overfill the tall vial with water and make a drawing of your result.
Explain if it is any different from what your predicted. Leave some space
after your answer if you need to correct your explanation after the lecture.
4. If the other two tall vials were filled to overflowing with alcohol and the
other with seawater predict how they will compare to each other and to the
previous freshwater example. Leave some space after your answer if you
need to correct your explanation after the lecture.
5. Use a dropper and count how many drops of freshwater can be put on top of
a head of a penny. Make a prediction of how many drops of alcohol if the lab
were to be repeated, and then saltwater. Give an explanation for predicted
differences.
6. Do the experiment again with alcohol and saltwater and explain your results.
Experiment 5: Up, up
1. Put the capillary tube into the freshwater Petri dish and measure how much it
rises in mm. Predict how far the freshwater will rise in the 1 ml pipette –
explain why you think so. Then actually put the 1 ml glass pipette (blue) in
(tip side up) and write the measurement down. How did it compare to your
prediction? Any additional explanation needed?
2. Make a prediction of how much the water will rise in the 1 ml plastic pipette
(yellow). Explain your reasoning. Then actually put the 1 ml pipette in (tip
side up) and write the measurement down. How did it compare to your
prediction? Any additional explanation needed?
3. Make a prediction of what will happen when the three tubes are put into the
Petri dish of seawater. Explain your reasoning. Then actually test it out and
record your results. How did it compare to your predications? Any
additional explanation needed?
4. Make a prediction of what will happen when the three tubes are put into the
Petri dish of alcohol. Explain your reasoning. Then actually test it out and
record your results. How did it compare to your predications? Any
additional explanation needed?
5. Please use a paper towel to wick out the tubes when you are done. Also clean
up around your lab area. If I have to clean up after you, I will take my hurt
feeling out on your grade.
6. Make a boxed table summarizing all your results (of course include headings
and units).
Experiment 6: Will it Float?
1. Into a Petri dish of half full of freshwater, try to float a quarter size piece of
flat aluminum foil. Then try to sink it with a pin or clip. Describe your
results.
2. Make a prediction of what you think will happen when you try doing the
same experiment in seawater and also alcohol. Explain your reasoning. Try
it out, record your results and explain any discrepancies.
3. Make predictions on trying to float a needle or paper clip in each of the three
liquids and include your reasoning. Actually test it out and report on your
results.
Experiment 7: Take a Dive
1. Using water added to an eyedropper devise a procedure to distinguish
between freshwater, seawater and alcohol. (HINT: add enough water to a
dropper so that it barely floats in one of the liquids). Besides your
procedure, please include your reasoning. Please, when you are done, wipe
around your lab area.
Experiment 8: Stratify me
1. Using red dyed freshwater and blue dyed saltwater, devise a method to put
both liquids in a tall tube so that there are two distinct colored layers – there
should be very little mixing. Please clean up after you are done.
Experiment 9: It’s Draining
1. Using the aquariums, plastic tubes, ruler and timers, devise a procedure(s)
that will determine factors that will affect the rate of siphoning (have your
teacher show you siphoning if you don’t know). Of course provide your
reasoning. (HINT: make sure you use the ruler)
2. Make a boxed table summarizing all your results (of course include headings
and units).
Experiment 10: So cool!
1. Guess at whether an ice cube will melt faster in freshwater or seawater.
Actually test it out and record your results. Explain why your results did or
did not match your predictions. Also observe what happens to the dye in the
ice cubes as they melt – it should be different in each type of water and it
should help you with your explanation. Change out the freshwater and
seawater in the beakers for the next group when you are done.
2. Make a boxed table summarizing all your results (of course include headings
and units).
After the lectures on this section are done, write a summary
explanation for each of the experiments. This can be done after
each experiment. Please boldface or underline any keywords
that are used in each explanation. Of course the more
keywords you include in each explanation will increase your
score. Even though you worked in a group, your data might be
the same but make sure your explanations are in your own
words – I won’t accept multiple copies of explanations.
Check the PowerPoint lecture Water and Seawater online for a
list of keywords to use.