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The Incredible Shrinking Cup Lab: An Investigation of the Effect of Depth and Water Pressure on Polystyrene
Citation:
ROSE, C. M., J. ADAMS, E. K. HINCHEY, J. NESTLERODE, AND M. R. PATTERSON. The Incredible Shrinking Cup Lab: An Investigation of the Effect of Depth and Water Pressure on Polystyrene. Science Activities. Taylor and Francis, Philadelphia, PA, 50(1):1-8, (2013).
Impact/Purpose:
An education/outreach manuscript targeted to elementary and middle school teachers to demonstrate Boyles Law and how it applies to common field practices used in Oceanography and Limnology.
Description:
This activity familiarizes students with the effects of increased depth on pressure and volume. Students will determine the volume of polystyrene cups before and after they are submerged to differing depths in the ocean and the Laurentian Great Lakes. Students will also calculate the density of the cups and learn about the depths of the world’s ocean and the Great Lakes. The activity can also be used to teach students how to document scientific observations and how to conduct measurements using the metric system. This lab also encourages students to contact scientists and interact with professionals in the field of oceanography and limnology.
URLs/Downloads:
The Incredible Shrinking Cup Lab: An Investigation of the Effect of Depth and Water Pressure on Polystyrene