Prev. Article Next Article Table of Contents

Activity

The Sweeter Side of Density

Your current credentials do not allow retrieval of the full text.

Purchase the full-text

PDF/HTML,
figures/images,
references and tables,
(where available)

Michael Davis and Charles Henry

Harold Washington College, Chicago, IL 60601

J. Chem. Educ., 2008, 85 (8), p 1088A

DOI: 10.1021/ed085p1088A

Publication Date (Web): August 1, 2008

Abstract

The concept of density represents a treasure trove of demonstrations, experiments, and discrepant events. Shortly after learning about common units of measurement, students frequently learn about density as an intensive physical property. The combination of oil and water is a common demonstration that simultaneously demonstrates density and miscibility. Regardless of how they are combined, oil and water, being immiscible, separate into distinct layers with oil on top. This classroom activity is an example of miscible liquids, which can be carefully combined to make a layered heterogeneous solution. Students determine the density of different sugar solutions and then devise a method for layering them in a graduated cylinder. Dyeing the solutions with food coloring results in a rainbow-colored heterogeneous mixture.

Keywords (Audience):

Elementary / Middle School Science

Keywords (Domain):

Curriculum

Keywords (Feature):

JCE Classroom Activity

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Inquiry-Based / Discovery Learning

Keywords (Subject):

Physical Properties

View: Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links

Citing Articles

Citation data is made available by participants in CrossRef's Cited-by Linking service. For a more comprehensive list of citations to this article, users are encouraged to perform a search in SciFinder.

This article has been cited by 2 ACS Journal articles (2 most recent appear below).

Making a Chemical Rainbow
Marcus Angelin and Olof Ramström
Journal of Chemical Education2010 87 (5), 504-506
- Making a Chemical Rainbow
  Marcus Angelin and Olof Ramström
  Journal of Chemical Education2010 87 (5), 504-506
  In this laboratory experiment, high school students are challenged to prepare a six-layered chemical “rainbow” in a test tube. Students start with six unknown, colorless liquids and six pigments ranging from violet to red. The experiment is problem based ...
  Abstract | Full Text HTML | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links
Quilt as Desired
Erica K. Jacobsen and Laura E. Slocum
Journal of Chemical Education2010 87 (5), 460-461
- Quilt as Desired
  Erica K. Jacobsen and Laura E. Slocum
  Journal of Chemical Education2010 87 (5), 460-461
  In this Especially for High School Teachers column, adding a quilting design onto a pieced quilt top is compared to the chance educators have to stamp a chemistry topic with their own personal views and interests. Several articles from the May 2010 issue ...
  Abstract | Full Text HTML | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links