Now You Know

Density and Buoyancy determine whether the object will

float or sink.
Lesson 2 Density and Buoyancy
Materials that are less dense the water float. Materials that are
more
Havedense
you than
ever water sink.why ships float while some things that smaller than them sink? Why do
wondered
materials float on water while some sink? Science Fact
If the buoyant force of a liquid is greater than the weight of
an object, the objects float. Salt makes water denser. The more salt
in the water, the more buoyant an object
floating on it becomes. This why a lot of
objects and even people can float on salt
water.

The floating and sinking of objects do not depend on their sizes. They depend on their density.

Density is the amount of matter that an object has. It is related to the mass and volume of an
object. The density of water is 1 g/cc (cubic centimeter) or 1 ML (milliliter). If a material has a
density that is greater than the density of water, it will sink. On the other hand, a material with
less density than water will float.

Another factor related to the floating or sinking of a material is buoyancy. Buoyancy is the
tendency of an object to float or rise when put in a liquid. The buoyancy of an object is affected
by the buoyant force exerted on it. Buoyant force is the upward push exerted by a liquid, like
water, on an object.

Consider this. Before a marble was dropped in a graduated cylinder, the volume of water was 10
cc or 10 mL. After dropping the marble, the reading became 12 cc or 12 mL. The difference
between the readings is 2 cc or 2 mL. This represent the amount of water displaced by the
marble. The buoyant force excepted by water or any liquid on an object is equal to the weight of
the liquid displaced.

For an object to float on water or on any liquid, it must displace an amount of liquid that is
greater than its weight. Obviously, the marble weighs more than 2 cc or 2 mL of water that it has
displaced. This explains why the marble sank.

If the weight of an object is equal to the buoyant force exerted on it, the object will neither sink
nor float. It will be at any level in the liquid.

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SCIENCE Skills

 Observing
 Classifying
 Communicating
You will need
basin
water
big Styrofoam ball
golf ball
needle
plastic comb
graduated cylinder or measuring cup
pebble

Do These

What to Do

A. 1. Fill the basin with water.

2. Drop the objects into the water one at a time.
3. Observe what happens to the objects
4. Find out which objects floated.
5. Record the results in the table below by checking the appropriate column.
Objects Sink Float
golf ball

styrofoam ball

needle

plastic comb

B. 1. Fill the graduated cylinder or measuring cup up to 90 ML of water.

2. Carefully tilt the graduated cylinder or measuring cup and drop the pebble.

3. Place the graduated cylinder on a level surface. Observe the new level of water with the
pebble inside.

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Questions

 What is the amount of water displaced by the pebble?

 What does the result show?

Let's try
Read each situation carefully. Then select the letter of the best answer.
1. What is the upward push of a liquid on an object?
a. buoyant force
b. gravity
c. density
d. malleability
2. If an object is denser than water, what will happen to it?
a. The object will sink in water.
b. The object will float on water.
c. The object will dissolve.
d. The object will change in shape.
3. Which among the objects will float in water?
a. a 5-peso coin
b. steel ball
c. plastic ball
d. big stone
4. Why do you think are most boats made of balsa wood?
a. Balsa wood is durable.
b. Balsa wood is denser than water.
c. Balsa wood is less dense than water.
d. It is easy to shape balsa wood into a boat.
5. Which of the following refers to the amount of matter an object has?
a. length
b. buoyancy
c. mass
d. density
Lesson 3
Biodegradability
When you eat a banana you throw away its peeling. Likewise, after drinking juice in a tetra pack,
you throw the container away. What happens to trash after you dispose of them? What happens
to our garbage when buried?

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 Garbage is collected and usually dumped in
landfills. Here, garbage is covered with soil together
with some chemicals that break it down.

There are materials which are rot and decay. They are known as biodegradable materials. The
decaying process takes place with the help of bacteria and fungi which are known as
decomposes. Decomposes help break down dead plants and animals, returning substances and
nutrients to the soil for plants to reuse in the form of natural fertilizers.

Biodegradable materials

There are also materials that do not decay. They are known as nonbiodegradabke materials.
These materials can clog drainage and cause water and land pollution when irresponsibly thrown
away

So think of ways on how you can reduce the use of biodegradable materials. Instead of disposing
of non-biodegradable materials right away, find out how you can reuse or recycle them.

Nonbiodegradable materials

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Do These
The setup must be prepared three weeks before the lesson.
What to Do
Science Skills
1. Bury the banana peeling in one of the cans with soil. Label it A.
2. Bury
 the tetra foil pack in another can with soil. Label it B.
Observing
3. Set aside the two setups for three weeks.
 the
4. Get Inferring
cans which were prepared by your teacher ahead.
 the
5. Dig Communicating
soil in both cans until what buried in them appears.
6. Observe what was buried in both cans for three more weeks and write the changes that
You will to
happened need
them.
 two cans with equal amount of soil
 banana peeling cut into small pieces
Questions
 empty tetra foil pack
 What happened to the banana peeling?

 What happened to the tetra pack?

 What does the result show about materials when they are buried in the soil?

Now You Know!

Materials can be biodegradable or non

biodegradable.
Science Fact
Biodegradable materials decay or break
Each community handles it garbage
down, thus returning substances and
differently. Some communities strongly
practice composting, anti litter campaigns and
nutrients to the soil.
even converting waste to energy. But the
basic practice anyone can do, even at home,
is called the 3Rs which stand for reduce,
reuse and recycle.

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 carrot peeling
cardboard
dried leaf
foil wrapper
plastic bag
pencil shaving
Unscramble
tin can the letters to spell out what is described or defined in each number.
styrofoam cup
1. CEYAD to decompose or rot.

2. ATBICERA help in the decomposition.

3. SAPTCIL a material that takes hundred of years to decay.

4. CEDOPMORSES the microbes that break down or decay materials.

5. FLALNDIL a place where garbage collected are dumped by the

government.

Identify whether the following materials are biodegradable or nonbiodegradable. Classify them
in proper trash bin.

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