Unit 1 Project Lab: Submerged Cylinder
In this lab, you will investigate how the density of an object a ects the fraction of it that is submerged
in water. By measuring plastic vessels with di erent amounts of metal beads, you will calculate their
density and observe how much of each vessel sinks beneath the water's surface. This experiment will
help you understand the relationship between an object's density and its ability to oat.
Materials:
5 Medium-Size Plastic Vessels Caliper
1000mL Plastic Beaker Metal Beads
500mL Graduated Cylinder Ruler
Procedures:
1. Use the caliper to measure the height and diameter of the vessel tube (Include the vessel cap
when measuring height; do not measure the diameter of the vessel cap). Calculate the volume of
the plastic vessel and record below.
Height of Vessel: _____ cm; Diameter of Vessel: _____ cm; Volume of Vessel: _____ cm3
2. Prepare the vessels:
a. Label the vessels using numbers 1 through 5.
b. Leave vessel #1 empty.
c. Fill up about 10% of vessel #2 with metal beads.
d. Fill up about 15% of vessel #3 with metal beads.
e. Fill up about 25% of vessel #4 with metal beads.
f. Fill up about 75% of vessel #5 with metal beads.
3. Weigh all vessels. Record their weight in the table below and calculate the density of each vessel.
4. Align a ruler next to the graduated cylinder and measure the distance (in cm) of a 10mL interval
on the graduated cylinder. Record this value as a conversion factor.
__________ cm = 10mL
5. Measure out about 300mL of tap water using the 500mL graduated Highest Point of Vessel
cylinder.
6. Gently drop vessel #1 into the graduated cylinder (it may serve you Water Level
better to tip over the graduated cylinder and let the vessels to slide
into the water to prevent splatting). Lowest Point of Vessel
7. Record the lowest point of the vessel inside the graduated cylinder
to the nearest 5mL and convert it to cm using the conversion
factor.
8. Record the highest point of the vessel inside the graduated
cylinder to the nearest 5mL and convert it to cm using the
conversion factor.
9. Record the level of the water inside the graduated cylinder to the
nearest 5mL and convert it to cm using the conversion factor.
10. Repeat steps #6-9 for the other 4 vessels.
ff
ff
fl
Calculations:
11. Calculate the height of the vessel (∆h) sing the highest point value subtracting the lowest point
value. Record in the table below.
12. Calculate the height of vessel that is submerged under the water using the level of the water
subtracting the lowest point of the vessel. Record in the table below.
13. Calculate the fraction submerged underwater by dividing the height of vessel that is submerged
with the total height of the vessel in water. Record in the table below.
14. Calculate the theoretical fraction submerged by using the density of the water and the density of
the vessel. (Density of water: 1.00 g/cm3)
Weight Density Lowest Highest Height of
Level of Theoretical
of of Point of Point of Vessel Fraction
Water ∆h (cm) Fraction
Vessel Vessel Vessel Vessel Submerged Submerged
(cm) Submerged
(g) (g/cm3) (cm) (cm) (cm)
#
1
#
2
#
3
#
4
#
5
Analysis:
1. Plot a graph displaying the relationship between the density of the vessels and the fraction
submerged under water. How does the fraction of the vessel submerged change as the density of
the vessel increases?
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
2. What does it mean if a vessel is completely submerged (fraction submerged = 1)? How does this
relate to the density of the vessel compared to the density of water?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. If a vessel oats with only a small portion submerged, what can you infer about its density
compared to water?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4. How would adding more metal beads to the vessels a ect the fraction submerged? Predict what
would happen if you lled a vessel completely with metal beads.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
fl
fi
ff