Lab #5: Measurement – Mass, Volume and the exploration of Density

LAB #5 – Measurement: Mass, Volume, and the Exploration of Density

Introduction

Volume is the amount of space occupied by matter - solid, liquid, or gas.

Volume is measured in units: cm³ for a solid, mL for a liquid. 
Volume is SIZE!

Investigative Question:

-         A: How can we find the volume of a rectangular block? 

Scientific Thoughts:

Materials:

Various sized blocks, irregular shaped objects, ruler, graduated cylinder

Procedure A

 1) Use a metric ruler to measure the dimensions of your rectangular objects; measure to the nearest tenth (0.1) cm.
 2) Calculate the volume in cm³ of your rectangular object by multiplying the length (cm) times the width (cm) times the height (cm). V = L x W x H and round to the nearest tenth!
 3) Record your measurements in the data table. 

Results A

Data Table A: Volume of rectangular objects
        

Object	Length (cm)  z-axis	Width (cm)  x-axis	Height (cm) y-axis	Volume  (cm3)
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

V = L x W x H  cm³ = (cm)(cm)(cm)

 Procedure B

Use a graduated cylinder to measure the volume of an irregular shaped solid.  

1. Fill the graduated cylinder to _mL and record this into your notebook.  This is your initial volume.  Estimate to the nearest 0.5mL.

2. Carefully drop the object in on an angle.  The object will displace water (push water up to make way for the object) which will rise to make a new volume; estimate to the nearest 0.5 mL.

3. Subtract your initial volume from the new water level.

Results B
1. Final Volume --------------à                _____mL

- Initial Volume ------------à                 _____mL

=Volume of irregularly shaped object: _____mL

2. Final Volume --------------à                _____mL
- Initial Volume ------------à                 _____mL
=Volume of irregularly shaped object: _____mL

Average volume of irregularly shaped object: ___mL

Analysis B.1

1)  What is the maximum volume you can measure with this graduated cylinder?

2)  What is the smallest volume you can measure with this graduated cylinder?

3)   Determine the value of the minor grids on the cylinder.  i.e. how many mL does each line equal?

4)   Now, check to see if you’ve measured correctly using the volume of a sphere equation:
   a. Diameter of marble = ___cm

   ^{b. Radius of marble =} ___cm (radius = diameter ÷ 2)  

   c. Calculator entry information: 

4 ÷ 3 x π x radius x radius x radius 

Volume of sphere using equation = ____cm³

 5) a. Use a triple beam balance to measure the mass of the marble in grams.

Mass of glass marble:    _____g

Volume of glass marble: _____cm³

Density of glass marble: _____g/cm³

 ^{b. Use a computer to search up the "density of glass" ___}g/cm³

Compare your the density of the glass marble with this; how close did you get?

Analysis B.2

6) How can you use a graduated cylinder to measure the volume of a liquid?

7) What happens to the volume of the liquid when you drop an object into the graduated cylinder?  How can we use this to help us find the volume of the object?

8) If an object dropped into the graduated cylinder pushes up the water mark from an initial volume of 25.0 ml to a final volume of 51.5 ml, how many cm³ is the object?

9) Compare the two different methods of obtaining volume of a marble, how did you do?  How far off were your calculations?

Procedure C

The mass of an object is a measure of the number of atoms in it. The basic unit of measurement for mass is the gram (g).
You are going to calculate the densities of the wood blocks using the equation, Density = Mass/Volume.  You already have the volume of wood blocks A, B, C, D, and E in the data table for Results A.  You will use a triple beam balance to find the mass of each block, and then use the equation to find their volumes.  As always, make sure to include the proper units and round to the nearest tenth.  

  

Results C

Density = Mass/Volume 

Object	Mass (g)	Volume (cm3)	Density  ( g/cm3 )
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Analysis A and C

1)  a.  Calculate: Combine the densities of blocks A, B, C, D, and E and find the average density for the wood.  Show your work.

    b. Get a computer, search "density of wood"; how well did you do?

2)  What is the maximum mass the triple beam balance can measure?

3)  What is the minimum mass the triple beam balance can measure?

4)  What are the units for the triple beam balance?

5) These are the units for this lab:

Mass = grams = g

Volume = cubic cm = cm³ 

Density = _?_     hint: D=M/V

 6) Why is it called a triple beam balance?  What does each beam measure; think in numerical terms.

7)  Why is it necessary to zero your triple beam balance before using it?  

8) Graph your results! 
a. What happened to mass as volume increased?
b. What happened to density as volume increased?
c. What is the numerical relationship between mass and volume for any given block?

Determining the Density of Water

Procedure: 

1. Measure the mass of an empty graduated cylinder, and record your data below.

2. Fill the graduated cylinder up to a certain volume, and record your data below. 

3. Measure the mass of the graduated cylinder and the water, and record your data below.

4. Subtract the mass of the graduated cylinder from the mass of the graduated cylinder + water to find the mass of water. 

Mass of graduated cylinder + water (3)      ___g

- Mass of graduated cylinder (1)              - ___g

-------------------------------------------------------

Mass of water (4)                                        ___g

Volume of water (2)  = ___ mL

Mass of water   = ___g    = Density of water __g/mL                                             

Volume of water = ___mL 

Analysis D

1)        What is the density of water?  Round to the nearest tenth and include units.

2)        Compare/Contrast your Results with another group’s.  How similar was the mass and volume?  How similar was the density?

3)        Density of water: _____g/mL

4)        Density of wood: ­­_____g/cm³

5)        Density of glass: _____ g/cm³

6)        Rank the above in order from least dense to most dense.  Predict: If you were to drop the glass and wood into a tub of water, what would happen to the solid objects?

7)        Sinking/Floating:

a.         If you have a solid with a density less than 1.0 g/cm³ would it sink or float?

b.        If you have a liquid with a density less than 1.0 g/cm³ would it sink or float?

c.         If you have a solid with a density more than 1.0 g/cm³ would it sink or float?

d.        If you have a liquid with a density more than 1.0 g/cm³ would it sink or float?

Conclusion

What was your problem?

Restate your hypothesis.  Was it right? wrong?  why or why not?

What did you learn in this lab?

What did you like about this lab?

What were some challenges you had to deal with?

What could you do next with this problem?  What other tests could you perform?

Write down any other additional thoughts, observations, inferences, etc.