Previous knowledge: As the amount of dissolved salt increases, a salt water
solution becomes denser.
Purpose: In this activity, you will prepare a set of 5 salt water solutions. In order to distinguish them easily, each
solution will have a different color. After preparing the solutions, you will
experiment with them to study how solutions of different densities can maintain separate layers. Using this knowledge, you will determine the % of salt in a sample of sea water.
Materials/Procedure:
- Prepare a set of 5 salt water solutions of different densities, each tinted a different color, using:
- 5 plastic cups
- Permanent marking pen
- Salt
- Water
- Electronic balance
- Food coloring
- Investigate how the solutions of different density can maintain separate layers, using:
- 5 test tubes
- Test tube rack
- Hollow glass rod, 15 cm in length
- Beaker to act as a container for waste
- Prepared set of salt water solutions
- In the final activity, you will need to determine the % of salt in ocean water. You will need: