What Sinks or Floats?

When a solid floats, it is buoyant. Boats, rafts, and other things that float on water are buoyant. Not all solids float.

What You Do

1. Test the solids in a tub of water.
2. On a piece of paper, write what you think will happen.
3. Then, write what you see happen.

On a piece of paper, use a chart like the one below to record your predictions and observations.

Solid	Prediction	Observation
marble	sink     float	sinks     floats
feather	sink     float	sinks     floats
coin	sink     float	sinks     floats
button	sink     float	sinks     floats
paper	sink     float	sinks     floats

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Show What You Know!

Complete some questions about the reading selection by clicking “Begin Questions” below.