Density PhET

In the Intro section, observe how different materials interact with water when placed in the container. What happens to a material that is more dense than water when placed in the container?

• It floats on the surface of the water.

• It sinks to the bottom of the container.

• It stays suspended in the middle of the water.

• It dissolves in the water.

Experiment with different materials and observe their behavior when placed in water. What happens to a material that is less dense than water when placed in the container?

• It sinks to the bottom of the container.

• It stays suspended in the middle of the water.

• It floats on the surface of the water.

• It dissolves into the water.

Observe how changing the mass and volume of a material affects its density. What happens to the density of a material when its mass is increased but the volume remains the same?

• The density increases.

• The density decreases.

• The density remains the same.

• The material will float in water.

Observe the relationship between mass, volume, and density. What happens to the density of a material when its volume increases but the mass remains the same?

• The density increases.

• The density decreases.

• The density stays the same.

• The material will sink in water.

In the Compare section, compare the densities of different materials. What can you infer about the material that sinks in water compared to the material that floats?

• The material that sinks has a higher density than the material that floats.

• The material that sinks has a lower density than the material that floats.

• Both materials have the same density.

• The density of the materials does not affect their behavior in water.

Experiment with different materials of the same mass but different volumes. What will happen if you compare the densities of two materials that have the same mass but different volumes?

• The material with the larger volume will have a higher density.

• The material with the larger volume will have a lower density.

• Both materials will have the same density.

• The density will change depending on the temperature.

In the Mystery section, you are asked to identify the density of a mystery material. If a material sinks in water but floats in oil, what can you infer about the material's density?

• The material’s density is higher than both water and oil.

• The material’s density is lower than both water and oil.

• The material’s density is higher than water but lower than oil.

• The material’s density is equal to that of oil.

If a mystery material is placed in water and sinks, but floats in alcohol, what can you conclude about its density?

• The material’s density is higher than alcohol but lower than water.

• The material’s density is higher than both water and alcohol.

• The material’s density is lower than both water and alcohol.

• The material’s density is higher than water but lower than alcohol.

What would the density be if you measured a mystery object’s mass and volume and found that the volume is very large compared to its mass?

• The object would have a high density.

• The object would have a low density.

• The object would float in all liquids.

• The object’s density would be the same as the liquid it is placed in.

If you have two objects with the same mass but different volumes, which one will have the higher density, and how can you tell?