TV on a Rolling Cart

Buoyancy

From Bill Nye the Science Guy · 1993

Buoyancy
23 min3rd4th5th6thScience
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Summary

Why do steel ships float but a steel bolt sinks? Bill explores density and displacement with classic tank demos and a little clay-boat engineering.

Viewer safety

All ages
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Teaching resources

Discussion questions

Discussion

Why do steel ships float but a steel bolt sinks? Bill explores density and displacement with classic tank demos and a little clay-boat engineering..

  1. What does it mean for something to be dense?
  2. Predict: will a paperclip float? Why?
  3. How could you make a lump of clay float?

Quick work-a-long

Vocabulary: density, buoyancy, displacement.

Try it: Shape a piece of foil into a boat and count how many coins it holds before sinking.

Buoyancy — TV on a Rolling Cart