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Pennies And Water
ZOOMsci Index | your results | list of activities
Sent in by:
Katherine of Grapevine, TX
Fill it to the rim, and then some.
- glass
- pitcher of water
- pennies
- liquids of different thicknesses like oil, syrup or juice
- paper and pencil
1. Check with an adult before you begin.
2. In the ZOOMsci, Drops on Pennies II, you can test how many drops of different liquids the surface of a penny can hold. Now, test how many pennies a glass of each liquid can hold before spilling.
3. Predict how many pennies you think you can put in a full glass of water without letting any leak over the edges.
4. Make a chart for your predictions and results. Write the names of each liquid you will test in rows on the left side of your paper. Write "predictions" and "results" in columns along the top of your paper. Record your prediction for how many pennies the glass of water will hold.
5. Fill a glass with water to the top. Make sure the rim of the glass is dry, so that water won't drip down.
6. Count the pennies as you add them to the water. See how far you can get the water to bulge over the edge of the glass without leaking down the edges.
7. Record the number of pennies the water could hold before the surface tension was broken.
8. Compare your prediction with your result. Is one number higher than the other? If so, why do you think they are different? Now, use the results from testing the glass of water to make some predictions about the other liquids you are testing.
9. Record your predictions on your chart.
10. Fill a glass with whichever liquid you are testing. Make sure that the rim is dry before you begin.
11. Count the pennies as you add them to the glass. Record how many pennies the glass held before spilling the liquid over the edge.
12. Compare the results you get for each liquid. Do you see a pattern? Do some types of liquid hold more pennies than others? Be sure to send your discoveries to ZOOM.
Can your brain hold the science scoop without overflowing? The pennies take up space in the glass, and the liquid has to get out of the way to make room for the pennies. The only way the liquid can get out of the way is to go up. It doesn't overflow right away because the surface of the liquid sticks together really well. This is called surface tension.
Can you think of other ways to experiment with surface tension? send your ideas and results to ZOOM.
You can also send us your pictures or video of this ZOOMsci:
ZOOMsci
ZOOM
Box 350
Boston, MA 02134
Alec, age 6 of Seward, NE wrote:
The watter piler up and then it exploded onto a towel. We tested out your project and it was really fun. Thanks alot!!!
Emma, age 8 of Waverly, IA wrote:
I experimented with dirty and clean pennies, and I found that dtity and clean pennies hold about the same amount of water.
Tabitha, age 13 of Louisville wrote:
I had 60 drops of water on my pennie!!!
Raed, age 11 of Bridgeview, IL wrote:
When I droped pennies the water got bigger and formed something like a bubble when you look at it side ways. Why did that happen?
Brittany, age 11 of Sarnia, ON wrote:
I got 20 drops of water on a diry/old penny and 38 drops on a clean/new penny.
Gabriel, age 14 of Mesa, AZ wrote:
Me and my sister have already put 273 pennies in the water and it still hasn't spilled!!!
Aubrey, age 10 of Litchfield, MN wrote:
I tryed your pennies and water experiment. I got 25 drops the first tme. then I tryed a dime. I got 15 drops on it. Then came the nickel with 48 drops, and a quarter with 56 drops of water on them.
Hannah, age 11 of Raymond, NH wrote:
When I did pennies & water, I found out that I could fit 17 drops of water on a penny. I also tried it on a nickel & fit 51 drops on it. I tried it with a quarter(34 drops)& a dime(10 drops). I am not quite sure why the nickel fit more drops than the quarter did.
Samantha of Mount Uniacke, NS wrote:
Well I used Just Soap and in a driffent cup I used Window cleaner and the Soap worked best. P. S The soap was lickwood.
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