Monday 11 April 2016

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Float or Sink - Orange Buoyancy Science Experiment




Age: From 4 years old

Materials:
1. 1 orange
2. 1 jug of water
3. 1 tray

Directions:
1. Ask your child to guess what will happen to the orange if he drops it into the jug of water, will it float or sink?

2. Ask your child to try dropping the orange into the water and find out for himself.

3. Peel off the orange skin.

4. Ask your child now to guess again what will happen to the orange if he drops it into the jug of water, will it float or sink?

5. Ask your child to drop the peeled orange and find out for himself.

6. Explain that there are many thick air pockets in the orange peel, that makes it less dense than the water. Thus, the orange "dressed" in its skin float on water.

7. Explain that the peeled orange is denser than the water, thus it sink.

8. Explain that the orange with its skin on is like a child wearing a float, when he goes swimming. He will float on water.

9. Explain that the orange without its skin is like a child going into the swimming pool without a float, he will sink, unless he knows how to swim.

Additional Information:

Our Little FECS wanted to do more Science Experiments. I came across this idea from the blog, and saving it to do it with J. Today, we had a play date with M, and we did this activity.

We tried this activity last Sunday 10 April 2016 (7Y1M5D) during a playdate. Both the boys guessed it correctly.

References:

http://www.playdoughtoplato.com/orange-buoyancy-science-experiment/







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