“Float or sink, that is the question!”

Orientation

You will learn more about and the concepts related to Archimedes' principle by watching the following videos and writing down all the concepts and keywords that you think are related to our theme. 

How taking a bath led to Archimedes' principle

The real story behind Archimedes’ Eureka!

Choose the correct answer! Conceptualisation You will use the concepts you noted in order to create a concept map about Archimedes' principle, and form groups to create specific hypotheses which you will investigate in the next phase. The concept map will be realized in a PowerPoint online document using SmartArt: Concept Map. A member of each team will upload the concept map on the team page in the Archimedes` Law.one. Discuss with your teacher about the concept map you have created considering the questions below. Choose the correct answer!

Creation You have to form teams with the help of your teacher to investigate: the density of objects; the Archimedes’ forces; the buoyancy of the objects with equal masses and volumes placed in liquids of different densities; the buoyancy of the objects with equal masses but different volumes placed in the same liquid; the buoyancy of the objects with equal volumes but different masses placed in the same liquid.

First you will familiarize yourself with the Archimedes' principle in order to identify the variables and design your experiment. Second you will familiarize with Splash: Virtual Buoyancy Laboratory a virtual lab published on the Go-Lab project platform.

Discuss with your teacher about mass, volume, density, which group is going to investigate and how it affects the Archimedes force. Formulate your hypotheses according to the parameter (mass, volume, density etc.) your team is going to investigate. Design your scientific experiments. Then you will proceed by carrying out your experiment and collecting your data. Discuss with your teacher and peers how you will carry out your experiment in order to confirm or reject your hypothesis. You will collect, record and process data in an Excel file. Then, a member of each group has to upload the file on the team page in the Archimedes` Law.one.

Discussion In this phase you will retrieve your previous work (hypothesis, data, graphs, etc.) and form your conclusions. Your conclusions should be justified based on the evidence collected during the investigation activities. This evidence will help you provide an answer whether your hypothesis has to be supported or rejected. Now, in your group you have to prepare a presentation (Word, PowerPoint, Sway, etc.) about your conclusions. Try to give enough evidence from your experimentation in order to reject or confirm your hypotheses. Don't forget to save your presentation and give it a label with the names of your group members. Then, a member of each group has to upload the presentation on the team page in the Archimedes` Law.one.

Communication and Reflection As a group you will come to a final conclusion. Write your general conclusion on the team page in Archimedes` Law.one

Homework Every team have to: film a simple physics experiment that presents an example of practical application of Archimedes` law (the experiment must be not dangerous, achievable with materials that can be found in any home); create a presentation with their work (using PowerPoint, MovieMaker, PhotoStory, Sway etc.). The projects will be insert on the team page in Archimedes` Law.one

Bibliography http://www.golabz.eu/scenarios http://www.gifmania.co.uk/Vehicles-Animated-Gifs/Animated-Ships/Submarines/ http://www.animatedimages.org/