What physical characteristics of penguins help them swim and dive?

Penguin Anatomy streamlined shape solid, heavy bones stubby, stiff wings

Their anatomy enables them to be adept at swimming and diving through icy water

Which body shape dives the best? 3-D rectangle cube cylinder sphere

Procedure You will use modeling clay to build one of the four solid geometric shapes we are investigating. Work with your group to make sure each shape weighs the same amount. Once your group has made the shapes, we will test them in a diving chamber.

Procedure Now it’s time to discover the answer to the question, Which of the four shapes will dive the fastest to the bottom of the chamber? Drop each shape into the chamber, time the descent of each, and record the results on the worksheet. Conduct three trials for each shape and then average the results.

Let’s start the investigation Build the shape, make sure they all have the same mass. Test the shape. Each shape should have three trials. Be sure to time them carefully and record your results. Average the time for each shape.

Analyze results How did your results compare with your predictions? Have a whole-class discussion about why some shapes dive faster than others. Create a graph to show the results.