Buoyancy- Floating & Sinking
Learning Objectives/Lesson GoalsStudents will :
-review what an invertebrate is and learn what some of the deep sea invertebrates are
-learn the names and facts about some of deep sea invertebrates (bone-eating worm, dumbo octopus, brittle star, sea angel, vampire squid, giant siphonophore, apple anemone, bloody-belly comb jelly, fragile pink sea urchin, Johnson’s sea cucumber, giant isopod, sea pig, yeti crab, giant squid, midwater jellyfish (colobonema), midwater shrimp)
-be able to match a fact with a photo of the deep sea invertebrate that goes with that fact
Students will understand that all matter (solids, liquids, gasses) has mass and takes up space.
A fixed volume of air is lighter than the same volume of water.
An object floats when the weight of the water it displaces is equal to the weight of the object.
Water pushes upwards on the submarine. This force is called buoyancy. Gravity pulls the submarine down into the water.
Submarines can control their buoyancy by changing the amount of water and air contained in the ballast tanks of the submarine. Submarines with more air in the tanks float and submarines with more water in the tanks sink in the water
WHEREClassroom/Outside
WHOClassroom Volunteers
MATERIALS

  • 600mL plastic bottle and lid

  • Hand held drill and bit (something to poke a hole)

  • Flexible straw

  • Hot glue/ duct tape

  • Weights or coins

  • Tub or sink

  • Water

  • Plastic tubing
ACTIVITIES

  1. Drill a hole to fit a straw in the lid of the plastic bottle. (do this before activity).

  2. Drill 2 or 3 holes in the side of the plastic bottle in a line. (do this before activity)

  3. Tape the coins or weights next to the holes at either end of the bottle. This will keep the holes facing downward and add mass to the submarine.

  4. Insert the short end of the flexible straw into the hole and place plasticine around the straw to make it airtight.

  5. Attach the rubber tube to the other end of the straw and use tape to make the joint airtight.

  6. Place the vessel in a tub or sink of water. Water will enter the holes on the bottom of the vessel and the vessel should sink to the bottom of the tub.

  7. Blow air into the plastic tube gently and observe what happens. Why does this happen? Repeat the process and try to get the vessel to sit just below the surface of the water.


SAFETY NOTE: Be careful not to blow into the vessel too often. Be sure that you replace the tube for each new person blowing into the submarine. Please have adults supervise when drilling holes in the plastic container. An adult may need to predrill holes before beginning the activity.
RESOURCESDeep Oceans, Activity 1: Buoyancy p.7-9
https://youtu.be/yWhKDts2CHM