Center Focus

Does Warm Water Rise Too?

  1. For this center you will need a 10 gallon aquarium, a thick piece of cardboard that can separate the aquarium into two parts pretty snugly, red and blue food coloring, and access to hot and cold water.
  2. Provide directions for students to follow.
  3. Students predict what will happen when one side of the aquarium is filled with hot water, one with cold, and then the cardboard is removed. Food coloring is added to each side in order to distinguish layers when cardboard is removed.
  4. They will perform the activity and observe what happens.
  5. Results should be recorded and a conclusion made as to why they think the hot water went to the top.