Science Earth & Space Lab Report

Density and Buoyancy LabObjective: To be able to explain density and buoyancy mean as well as use hands on
methods to determine an objects density and buoyancy.
Notes: Make sure to answer the questions in the lab in the lab write up. Students are
allowed to do this lab individually or with a partner. If with a partner, both partners
must write and submit their own labs and indicate who their lab partner is. Lab writeups should not be identical otherwise it is considered plagiarism. Lab write-up format is
given in the syllabus.
Materials Required:
A bucket or container to hold water (your buoyancy test objects must fit in)
Buoyancy Objects (10 household objects to test buoyancy, must include
orange, diet soda and regular soda)
3 household liquids of different densities
Water or Soda bottle (empty)
Water
Salt
Ability to take a Digital Picture
Background Information:
Density is calculated by using the formula p=m/V (density = mass/volume). In
order to visualize if a solid object is has more density than another object, think
about if the objects are the same size and shape. If the objects are the same
size and shape, which object would feel heavier? For example, if you held a
white board eraser in one hand and the same size and shape brick in another
which would feel heavier? The brick would and therefore it has greater density.
Liquids also have different densities. The oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico is less
dense than the water, and that is why it floats on top.
Buoyancy, an objects ability to float in a fluid such as water, also indicates which
has less density; the fluid or the object. Anything that floats in water is less
dense than water. The density of water is 1g/cm^3. Anything that sinks in water
is has a higher density than 1g/cm^3,
Steps:
Part 1:
1) Find some liquids in your home to test their density against one another. Do
NOT use anything toxic or mix chemicals together such as bleach and
ammonia.
2) The objective of this exercise is to find 3 liquids of different densities which
will separate out when added together. Using your empty bottle, try putting 2
of the liquids together and see what happens. Some liquids contain more
than 1 liquid themselves, such as water and oil and will separate or mix with
the new liquid.
3) Continue trying various liquids until you find 3 that separate into 3 levels in
the bottle and take a picture. (Definition of a liquid is anything that will form
to the container it is in if left there over time)
Part 2:
1) Find 10 objects which you can test their buoyancy in water that fit into your
water bucket/container. 3 of the objects must be an orange, a diet soda and
a regular soda.
2) Fill the bucket/container ½ with water.
3) Try each object in the water to see what happens.
4) List what your items are and what happens when placed in water.
5) Remove the peel of the orange and place back in the water. Record what
happens.
6) The orange should float when it has the peel and sink without it. What does
that tell you about the orange peel and the part of the orange we eat?
7) If done properly the diet soda should float and regular soda should sink. Why
do you think that happens?
8) Salt water is denser than plain water. Add salt to the water while stirring.
Continue to add until the salt starts settling on the bottom, which means the
water will not hold more salt.
9) Try the 10 objects again. Is there any difference in the results?
Solar System Lab
Part A Due with Module 7
Part B Due with Module 8
Objective: To create a model demonstrating the size and distance ratios of the planets
in our solar system. To describe the differences in the inner and outer planets as well as
major differences of each individual planet.
Notes: Make sure to answer the questions in the lab in the lab write up. This lab can
be done in a group, but members must meet for Part B to assemble the solar
system model. If this lab as a group effort, the group must submit an outline with the
Part A Lab write-up indicating what each group member is responsible for and indicate
the agreed upon Part B meeting time and place. The portions of work need to be
divided evenly. If the work has been divided fairly, the lab group can submit 1 lab
write-up. Lab write-up format is given in the syllabus.
Materials Required:
Metric ruler or measuring tape
Paper
Colored pencils or markers
Either paper or spherical objects (can use modeling clay, Styrofoam ect) for
models (Models can be drawn on paper, they do not have to be 3D)
Long hall or outside space (15 meters)
Ability to take a Digital Picture
Background Information:
Models and pictures of our solar system are not drawn to scale because in order
to have the planets large enough to be visible requires a large area. For
example, if the ratios of the solar system were in correct proportions and the Sun
would be the size of a Samurai warrior down one end of a football field, the
Earth would be the size of a grape at the other end of the field and our Moon
would be the size of a pea. The last planet of the solar system is 30 times that
distance. It would be quite a ways away and would not be visible from the
football field.
The main object of this lab is to create a more accurate model of the solar
system than seen in books and to have a greater understanding about the
distances between planets. In order to reduce the solar system distances for our
lab model, our Sun will be smaller than the size of a dime. The diameter will be
.5cm. The furthest planet will still be 15 meters away and that is why you need
to find a space that long.
Since the Sun was reduced from the size of a Samurai warrior to less than the
size of a dime, it is easy to understand that using the same model scale the size
of the Earth was reduced from the size of a grape to something so small that we
can no longer see it. For this reason the size of our planet models will be on a
different scale than that of the Sun and the distance to the planets. This means
that the size of the Sun will be accurate to distance of where the planet models
are placed, but not to the size of the planet models. All the planets will be drawn
to the same planet model scale, therefore the differences in sizes from planet to
planet will be shown accurately.
The distances from the Sun to planets are so large that scientists created a scale
called Astronomical Units which is abbreviated as AUs. 1AU is the distance of the
Sun to Earth. Our scale which has the Sun equal to 5mm is using the scale of 1
AU = ½ meter. This means that our model for Earth will be ½ meter from our
model’s Sun. To calculate the other planets distances from the Sun, use Table
32.1 from the text as shown in the steps below. The first column in the table lists
the mean (average) distance in AUs from the Sun to each planet. Dividing the
number of AUs by 2 will give you the distance to each planet from our model’s
Sun.
Part A: Due with Module 7. Part A does not require a Full Lab Write-up or
pictures. Submit work for Steps 1-5 only.
Part A Steps:
1. Using table 32.1 from the text, create a table which contains the distance
from each planet to the Sun for our model. The table should have 3 columns
labeled: “Planet”, “AUs” and “Model Distance”. To calculate the Model
Distance for each planet, divide the AUs by 2 and add the unit meters. You
may want to convert to cm when measuring for you model.
Example: Mercury is .39AUs therefore divide by 2 = .195 m =19.5cm
2. For those of you wanting to know why our Sun is 5mm when the scale is ½
= 1AU, this step shows the math. You do not need to understand this
math.
1 AU is approximately 150,000,000 km. The diameter of the Sun is
1,392,000 km. In order to use the same scale to create the model of the
Sun as the distance to the planets, use the fact that 150,000,000 km is
being represented by ½ meter. The following ratio is used to calculate the
diameter of the model.
AU
Actual (km)
Scale
150,000,000
½ meter
Sun
=
1,392,000
x
From ratios we know we can multiply the numbers diagonally across from
one another and divide by the one that is not, therefore:
( ½ m)(1,392,000)/150,000,000 = .00464 m or approx. 5mm
Therefore, the model of the Sun must be 5mm in diameter.
3. Create a table to determine the size of our planet models. The table must
have 3 columns labeled “Planet”, “Diameter Ratio to Earth” and “Model
Diameter”. Copy the forth column of table 32.1 labeled “Diameter” with
“(Earth=1)” underneath to fill in “Diameter Ratio to Earth” column.
We are going to use the scale 1 Earth diameter = 2 cm for our model.
In the 3rd column of your table labeled “Model Diameter”, multiply the
previous column (labeled “Diameter Ratio to Earth”) by 2 and add the unit cm
for centimeter. You now have the diameters for your planet models.
Example: Mercury is .38*2 = .76 cm or 7.6 mm
4. For each planet, research and record the following information; orbital period,
construction (what is it made of), atmosphere, how many moons
(approximately for some is fine) and any unusual features (for example, how
it is tipped on its axis, the direction it revolve). Submit this information with
your lab.
5. If this lab as a group effort, the group must submit an outline with the Part A
Lab write-up indicating what each group member is responsible for and
indicate the agreed upon Part B meeting time and place. The portions of work
need to be divided evenly. If the work has been divided fairly, the lab group
can submit 1 lab write-up.
Part B: Due with Module 8, requires a Full Lab Write-up and pictures.
Part B Steps:
1 Create a model of the Sun with a 5mm diameter. Models can be drawn on
paper as circles or created as 3 Dimensional spheres. The models must be in
color for full credit.
2 Create models of each planet using the diameters calculated in Part A. Color
the models to depict what this planet looks like. Color to depict any unusual
features.
3 Place all of your models together and take a photo, indicating which object is
which.
4 Using the information from the tables created in Part A, place the models the
correct distance apart. This requires an area with a distance of 15 meters.
Take photos.
Question 1: Stand at the location of the last planet of the solar
system and look at the Sun. If you were living on the planet, how
big do you think the sun would appear in the sky?
Question 2: Where is the Asteroid Belt Located?
Question 3: Where is the Kuiper Belt located?
Question 4: Where is the Oort Cloud located?