Which density floats

The smaller sphere has the same amount of stuff as the larger sphere, but in a smaller space, therefore it is more dense and will sink. Now take two cans, one of Coke and one of Diet Coke. These clearly have the same volume, but do they have the same density? Drop them both in at the same time and watch what happens! The can of Coke will sink to the bottom, while the can of Diet Coke will float. A can of coke has about 39 grams of sugar which is about 10 teaspoons full.

Predict, test and explain relative density by investigating the interactions of liquids and solids. For example, a suitcase jam-packed with clothes and souvenirs has a high density, while the same suitcase containing two pairs of underwear has low density. Size-wise, both suitcases look the same, but their density depends on the relationship between their mass and volume. Mass is the amount of matter in an object. Volume is the amount of space that an object takes up in three dimensions.

If we take the same volume one cubic centimetre of foam, wood and concrete, we can see that each has a different mass. Less Dense, More Dense If something is heavy for its size, it has a high density. If an object is light for its size it has a low density. Imagine a big bowl of popcorn, compared to a big bowl of pebbles, which would feel heavier?

It is easy to estimate relative densities if you keep either the volume or the mass of two objects the same.

If you filled one bag with a kg of feathers and another with a kg of lead you would see that the feathers take up much more room, even though both bags have the same mass. This because feathers are less dense, they have less mass per volume.

If you made a copper cube and an aluminum cube of the same volume and placed one in each hand, you would be able to feel that the copper cube would be heavier. Copper has more mass per volume than aluminum. How can one substance have more mass per volume than another? There are a few possibilities:. Any one or a combination of these explanations could be the reason why one substance has a higher density than another.

In the case of copper and aluminum, their atoms are arranged similarly, but copper atoms are smaller and have more mass than aluminum atoms, giving it a higher density. Density, Sinking and Floating Why do some things float, while others sink? You might expect heavier objects to sink and lighter ones to float, but sometimes the opposite is true. Move the sliders to adjust the mass and volume of the red block.

Demonstration video:. In physics, they have distinct meanings. The standard unit of mass is the kilogram. An object's weight is is a function of the force of gravity acting on its mass. This means that an object's weight will vary depending on where it is found. For example, the force of gravity on the moon is less than it is on the earth so an object with a fixed mass will weigh less on the moon than it will on the earth.

Follow SciencePrimer. Skip to main content. An object with a density of 0. Three-quarters of an object with a density of 0. Another way to look at the buoyancy of an object is as an interaction between two forces.

Which is more dense, clay or water? Clay is more dense. Knowing the density of an object can help you predict if it will sink or float in water. If an object is more dense than water, would you expect it to sink or float? Objects that are more dense than water sink. If an object is less dense than water, would you expect it to sink or float? Objects that are less dense than water float. Explain Compare the density of wax, water, and clay on the molecular level.

Project the image Wax. Project the image Water. Project the image Clay. Extend Have students explain, in terms of density, why a very heavy object like a big log floats and why a very light object like a tiny grain of sand sinks.

Ask students: A giant log can float on a lake, while a tiny grain of sand sinks to the bottom. Explain why a heavy object like the log floats while a very light grain of sand sinks. Students should recognize that a log will float because wood is less dense than water. If you could weigh a large amount of water that has the same volume as the log, the log will weigh less than the water. Therefore, the log floats.

A grain of sand will sink because sand is more dense than water. If you could weigh a small amount of water that has the same volume as the grain of sand, the sand will weigh more than the water. Therefore, the sand sinks. Table 1. Buoyancy of several materials. Its mass must be more than grams. If a banana has a mass of grams and floats in water, what can you say about its volume?