The Experiment:
Buoyancy
This experiment will test the buoyancy of three different types of “Boats” found in the lab kit. The three different boats are made of three different materials, foam, plastic, and aluminum. Each boat will have its dimensions measured and its total mass taken before beginning any trials. Then mass will be added to each boat until the boat begins to take on water on the top of it.
PROCEDURE:
Begin the experiment by first measuring the area each boat makes contact with the water (the bottom of the boat) using your metric ruler. Next measure the height of each boats side. After taking these measurements, take the mass of each boat using your electronic balance. Now you are ready to start adding mass to the boat. Using your small mass kits place enough masses on the top of boat until it just begins to take water on the top of itself. Record the amount of mass that was needed to “sink” each boat. These values will be used to calculate the density, pressure, and buoyancy for each boat.
Use the data table below to help set up your data collection. Anchors away!
Data:
| Boat Type | Width or Radius (cm) | Length (cm) | Height (cm) | Boat Mass (g) | Mass Added (g) |