Cebu Technological University

Moalboal Campus
College of Education

Work Plan
on
Experiment #1

Subject: SCI 216L Thermodynamics

Section: BSED SCIENCE 2
Class Schedule: TTh 2:30-5:00
First Semester S.Y. 2025-2026

Submitted by:
Group #: 5
Members:
Malalay, Jonarie
Obida, Nica Mae
Pelletero, Michaila
Peque, Raquel
Piaza, Liza Mae
Quirante, Marjorie

Submitted to: EDGAR B. OTADOY

Teacher

Date Submitted:
 INTRODUCTION

Density is an essential physical property that influences how substances and material

behave or interact. (Serway, Jewett, and Wilsion, 2021) .It plays an important role in

understanding the behavior of materials, as it directly influences whether an object will float or

sink when placed in a fluid. For example, substances with lower density than water, such as oil,

tend to float, while those with higher density, such as metals, sink (Giancoli, 2020). This

experiment help students study density by using a three different liquids: honey, water and oil.

These liquids have unlike densities that causes them to naturally layer when combined in the

same container. The arrangement of these liquids in a single container demonstrates how density

affects layering behavior. Furthermore, it aims to explore the concept of bouyancy, when objects

such as metal, a grape, a plastic cap, and a sponge falls into the layered liquids, their differing

positions shows the principle of buoyancy that demonstrates the relationship between the relative

densities of solids and liquids. Understanding this concept is prominent for many real world

applications, like designing ships or understanding ocean currents. This simple experiment offers

a clear way to see these important forces in action.

General Objective:

To discover and compare the density of honey, water and oil through layering. And

understanding the density relationship between a liquids and different solids.

Specific Objectives

[Link] demonstrate how honey, water, and oil form distinct layers due to differences in density.

[Link] observe the behavior of various solid objects when placed in the liquid layers.

3. To calculate the density of one or more liquids using measure mass and volume
 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

In understanding the behavior of fluids and objects immersed in them, density is one of

the most fundamental concepts. As stated by Halliday, Resnick, and Walker (2014), density is

defined as the ratio of mass to volume:

ρ=m/V

where ρ (rho) is the density, m is the mass, and V is the volume of the substance (p. 367). They

emphasize that density is an intensive property, meaning it does not depend on the quantity of

the substance but only on its composition. For example, a small fragment of gold and a large bar

of gold possess the same density. This property is what makes density useful for identifying and

comparing different substances regardless of sample size.

The concept of density directly relates to how fluids and objects interact. According to Iida and

Guthrie (2015), differences in density explain why liquids such as honey, water, and oil form

distinct layers when combined. Honey, with the highest density, settles at the bottom, water

remains in the middle, and oil, being the least dense, floats on top. This phenomenon

demonstrates how the relationship between mass and volume governs the natural stratification of

liquids.

In connection to this, the principle of buoyancy expands on how density influences the behavior

of objects in fluids. When an object is placed in a liquid, its ability to float or sink depends on the

comparison between its density and that of the fluid. If the object’s density is lower than the

fluid’s, it floats; if higher, it sinks. This idea is further explained through Archimedes’

principle, which states that an immersed object experiences an upward force called the buoyant
force, equal to the weight of the displaced fluid (Khan Academy, n.d.). In simple terms, floating

occurs when the upward buoyant force balances or exceeds the object’s weight, while sinking

happens when the object’s weight is greater. This principle clarifies why oil rises above water,

while much denser objects like rocks sink to the bottom (Halliday, Resnick, & Walker, 2014).

The properties of specific liquids also play a vital role in understanding density-related

phenomena. Water, for instance, has a density of about 1.0 g/cm³ at room temperature. Its

unique density arises from hydrogen bonding, which allows molecules to remain relatively close

together (U.S. Geological Survey [USGS], 2019). Oils generally have lower densities, ranging

from 0.91–0.93 g/cm³, as noted by Engineering Toolbox (n.d.). This lower density results from

their molecular structure, a long hydrocarbon chains with weaker intermolecular forces making

oil lighter and less dense than water. Honey, on the other hand, is substantially denser, with an

average density of 1.42 g/cm³, due to its high sugar content, particularly glucose and fructose,

dissolved in minimal water. These sugars increase the overall mass per unit volume, giving

honey its significant density (National Honey Board, 2021). The density values of these common

household liquids not only explain their layering behavior but also establish the basis for

predicting how objects behave when introduced into them.

Furthermore, as highlighted by Urban (2018), these differences can be observed through simple

experiments, where combining honey, water, and oil results in clear liquid layers that resist

mixing. When solid objects are dropped into this layered system, they may float, sink, or rest

between layers depending on their relative density. This simple but effective demonstration

reinforces how density governs both fluid stratification and the flotation or sinking of objects.

For example, a grape may sink through oil but stop in the water layer, while a lighter object such
as plastic may remain afloat on oil. These experiments translate abstract scientific principles into

observable real-world behavior, making them especially useful in educational contexts.

In summary, the reviewed literature focuses on density as a central property of matter, governing

fluid layering and the buoyant behavior of immersed objects. Archimedes’ principle further

reinforces the theoretical foundation by showing how the balance of forces depends on density

differences. Together, these ideas provide a strong basis for the present experimental

investigation, which explores the interaction of water, oil, and honey with various objects to

observe how density determines floating and sinking behaviors.

References

 Engineering Toolbox. (n.d.). Liquids – densities. Retrieved August 24, 2025, from
[Link]
 Halliday, D., Resnick, R., & Walker, J. (2014). Fundamentals of physics (10th ed.).
Wiley.

 Iida, T., & Guthrie, R. I. L. (2015). The thermophysical properties of metallic liquids:
Fundamentals. Oxford University Press.

 Khan Academy. (n.d.). Buoyant force and Archimedes’ principle. In AP®︎College

Physics 1. Khan Academy. Retrieved August 24, 2025, from
[Link]
ds/xf557a762645cccc5%3Abuoyant-force/a/buoyantforce-and-archimedes-principle-
article
 National Honey Board. (2021). Honey composition and properties. Retrieved August 24,
2025, from [Link]
 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). (2019). Water properties: Density of water. Retrieved
August 24, 2025, from
[Link]

Urban, S. (2018). The Dad Lab: 50 awesome science projects for parents and kids.

TarcherPerigee. [Link]
 METHODOLODY

To achieve the objectives of this experiment, the materials and equipment listed below

will be used to observe the density layering of three liquids and the relative positions of various

solids placed within these layers. The experimental setup involves carefully layering honey,

water, and oil in a transparent container to form distinct layers. Solid objects will then be

introduced to observe their positions relative to the liquids, providing insight into their densities.

A schematic diagram of the setup will be drawn and labeled to clearly illustrate the

layering of liquids and placement of solids, aiding in the understanding of the experimental

design.

Materials/Equipment Needed:

 Transparent glass or container

 Honey

 Water

 Cooking oil

 Solid objects: metal piece, grape, plastic bottle cap, sponge

 Spoon or dropper (to aid careful layering of liquids)

 Electronic scale (optional, for measuring mass)

 Measuring cylinder (optional, for measuring volume)

Experimental Setup:

The transparent container will be used to layer the liquids in order of decreasing density:

honey at the bottom, water in the middle, and oil on top. The solids will be dropped one at a time

into the container to observe their relative positions within or between the layers.

sponge

plastic cap
100mL water

grape

100mL honey

metal

Figure 1: Density Experiment Setup: Layered Liquids and Solids

Procedure:

1. Pour honey carefully into the container to form the bottom layer without disturbing the

container.

2. Using a spoon or dropper, gently add water on top of the honey layer to avoid mixing.

3. Carefully add oil on top of the water layer to create the topmost layer.

4. Drop the metal piece into the container and observe its position; record the observation.

5. Drop the grape into the container and note its relative position; record observations.

6. Drop the plastic bottle cap and observe where it settles; record observations.

7. Drop the sponge into the container and record its position relative to the layers.

8. Measure the mass and volume of one liquid (such as honey), then calculate its density

using the formula provided in the Review of Related Literature section.