Turn Up the Volume

Purpose: To determine the volume of an irregularly shaped object

Materials

• 100-ml graduated cylinder
• small, irregularly shaped objects
• water
• science journal
• pencil

Procedure

1. Choose an object and predict its volume.
2. Fill the graduated cylinder with 50 ml of water.
3. Add a small, irregularly shaped object to the cylinder.
4. In your science journal, record in ml the new level of the water.
5. To determine the volume of the irregularly shaped object, subtract 50 ml from your reading.

   __________ ml - 50 ml = __________ ml

6. Empty the graduated cylinder and return the object.
7. Choose a second object and predict its volume.
8. Repeat steps 2-6 to find the volume of the object.

Conclusion

1. Was the volume of each object easy to predict?
2. Describe any examples in everyday life that determine the volume of objects.
3. Research Greek mathematician Archimedes and explain his discovery concerning buoyancy.