Yr7 Chemistry Density

Bedford Academy Science Project – Year 7
Density
Task 1 – Floating and Sinking
Floating and sinking can be puzzling. Why does a light copper coin sink when it is put in water? Why does a much
heavier oak log float? It is the object’s density which matters. Copper has a bigger density than water, so it sinks. Oak
wood has a smaller density, so it floats.
The density of a substance is how heavy

1 cm3 of the substance is.
Gold is made up of heavy particles closely packed together and so it has a high density. On the other hand, gases have
very low densities. Gas molecules spread out to occupy a large volume, with lots of empty space.
1 cm3 of any gas is very light.
1. What is the density of a substance?

2. Water has a density of 1 g/cm3. What does this mean?
3. Why does the copper coin sink when put into water?
4. Why do bubbles of gas rise up through lemonade?
5. Look at the density ladder below:
(a) Why does the oak wood float on water but not on paraffin?
(b) Suggest densities for X and Y, explaining each choice.
(c) The density of nylon is 1.1 g/cm3. Where on the ladder would nylon float? Explain your answer.
6. Sea water is denser than fresh water. Why is it easier to float in the sea than on a lake?
Density
X
paraffin 0.8 g/cm3
oak wood 0.9 g/cm3
water 1.0 g/cm3
perspex 1.2 g/cm3
Y
copper 8.9 g/cm3
mercury
13.6 g/cm3
Density Ladder
Task 2 – Relative Densities

Using a glass of water, find at least 10 substances that either float or sink in water. You might want to try cooking oil
and ketchup as starters.
Make a table of your results showing things that float (have a density less than water) and things that sink (have a density
bigger than water). Present and explain your results in an interesting way.
You can find out the density of an object is if you know its mass and its volume.
Density = mass (in g)  volume (in cm3)
Using the information above try the following questions.

1. What is the density of a brass nut with a mass of 34 g and a volume of 4 cm3?
2. What is the density of a cork of mass 2 g and volume 8 cm3?
Copper is often mixed with gold to make a harder metal. With the information below, answer the following questions:
Mass (g) Volume ( cm3) density (g/cm3)

gold metal 19.3 1.0 19.3
copper metal 8.9 1.0 8.9
9-carat gold ring 24 2.2 ?
18-carat gold ring 19 1.5 ?
3. Work out the density of the metal in each ring.

4. Which ring has more copper in it? Explain your answer.
5. A 24-carat gold ring will have a density of 19.3 g/cm3. What does the number of carats tell you about a piece of gold?
Task 3 – Hot Air balloons

1. Manu takes two identical balloons. He fills one with air from his lungs and one with helium from a gas cylinder.
They are both inflated to the same extent, and then tied on a clamp stand. Finish the diagrams to show what the
balloons would look like.
At first After leaving for two nights
Exhaled air Helium Exhaled air Helium
2. Try to find out exactly how a hot air balloon works. Try and include some diagrams and interesting facts.
Credit will be given for presenting your research in an interesting way.

Please email or post your work back to your teacher when complete
KS3 Grading System:

Task 1 Done
Emerging Two or Three of the questions you have answered were correct and answered well
Developing Four of the questions you have answered were correct and answered well
Securing All of the questions you have answered were correct and answered well
All of the questions you have answered were correct and answered well with a very good
Mastering
explanation
Task 2
Developing You have answered all questions correctly
Securing You have answered all questions correctly and in detail
Task 3
Emerging You have found out very briefly how hot air balloon works
Developing You have used diagrams to explain your answer
Securing You have found out about exhaled air and helium and how they work
You have found out about exhaled air and helium answering the questions and have presented it in
Mastering
an interesting labelled diagram
Literacy
Emerging Poor spelling and punctuation.
Developing Most spellings right, answers are relevant and brief.
Securing Answers are in full sentences and with correct spelling, particularly scientific words.
Thorough answers with extra information. You have written an excellent article about hot air
Mastering
balloons.
Numeracy
Emerging You have extracted the information about the metals from the table
Developing You have attempted to calculate the densities of the metals using the information in task 2.
Securing You have successfully calculated the densities of the metals using the information in task 2.
ICT
Emerging You have used ICT to find out information and to present your work.
Developing You have used 2 or more ICT sources of information and have used ICT to draw graphs.
You have selected information for different purposes and have organised it well. In your project
Securing
you have presented information in at least two different ways.
Mastering You have used 2 or more programs such as Word or Power Point to interest the audience.
Overall Grades:
Science Emerging / Developing / Securing / Mastering
Literacy Emerging / Developing / Securing / Mastering
Numeracy Emerging / Developing / Securing / Mastering
ICT Emerging / Developing / Securing / Mastering
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Bedford Academy Science Project – Year 7

The density of a substance is how heavy

1. What is the density of a substance?

Task 2 – Relative Densities

Density = mass (in g)  volume (in cm3)

Using the information above try the following questions.

Mass (g) Volume ( cm3) density (g/cm3)

3. Work out the density of the metal in each ring.

Task 3 – Hot Air balloons

At first After leaving for two nights

Exhaled air Helium Exhaled air Helium

Credit will be given for presenting your research in an interesting way.

KS3 Grading System:

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