Julie Franzak

ELED 305-42

6/7/2007

Science Area: Life Science

Concept: Density

Sugar & Sugar Substitutes

Root Beer Float

WOW #3

Materials:

1 can of Root Beer

1 can of Diet Root Beer

Large Container (or a deep sink or bathtub)

Water

 

Procedure:

1. Fill the large container with water.

2. Hold one of the cans in your left hand and the other can in your right hand.

3. Set both of the cans into the container of water.

4. Observe.

Questions:

1. Why did cans appearing to feel the same size and weight act differently when placed in the water?

2. Which of the cans was denser?

3. What could account for the difference between the two cans assuming that there is the same amount of liquid and air in each can?

Explanation:

The density of water is 1g/cm³ ; if the density of an object is less than one then it floats in water whereas if the density of an object is greater than one then the object will sink. Assuming that the cans contained the same amount of liquid, air and aluminum then the density in the sugar in the regular Root Beer and the density in the sugar substitute used in the Diet Root Beer must be accountable.

Source:

“Root Beer Float”. http://littleshop.physics.colostate.edu/onlineexperiments/Root_Beer_Float.html. Obtained on June 1, 2007.