CSI Lab Begins New Unit for Physical Science
What better way to start learning a new topic than a hands-on example? With the Freshman Physical Science class starting a new unit on density, the Johns Hopkins CSI volunteers led a lab to demonstrate the concept. Ms. Rebecca explains, “This is a measurement that communicates how much mass is in an amount of space (or volume). Density is what makes oil float on top of water, or ice cubes float in water”.
In this lab, students mixed sugar with water at different concentrations of sugar. Sugar adds mass to the water, so each mixture has a different density. To show each density visually, CSI gave the students food dye to color each sugar water mixture. Then, the students poured each mixture into one graduated cylinder. The mixtures with the highest density slid to the bottom, and the mixtures with the lowest density stayed at the top. This creates a rainbow of liquid mixtures and demonstrates density in a physical way.
Experiments are the best way to understand concepts, because it takes the abstract and makes it real. We are grateful to the CSI volunteers for starting this unit with our Physical Science class!