Tag: surface

  • Investigation:  How Does a Water Strider Stay Afloat?

    Investigation: How Does a Water Strider Stay Afloat?

    This lab was modified from the “Penny Lab” to focus more on the properties of water and how surface tension is important for aquatic organisms like the water strider.     The instructions were designed for an intro (vocational) biology class that only meets for a semester. 

  • Penny Lab: Soap and Surface Tension

    Penny Lab: Soap and Surface Tension

    Most science classes begin the year with an exercise on the scientific method.  It can be difficult to plan a short activity that will reinforce the main ideas of developing and testing a hypothesis.  This lab is simple and doesn’t require much in the way of materials: pennies, water, and pipettes (and paper towels for…

  • Investigation:  Why Are Cells So Small?

    Investigation: Why Are Cells So Small?

    This activity requires students to practice math skills by measuring the surface area and the volume of boxes.   Collect boxes for students to use, these can be any type of box, such as tissue boxes, food boxes, or shoe boxes.  Ideally, you want a range of sizes, with at least one box being overly…

  • Investigation:  Modeling Diffusion

    Investigation: Modeling Diffusion

    This inquiry investigation requires students to cut agar into 3 shapes (small, medium, large) and compare the rates of diffusion.