• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Casa Bouquet

let your joy bloom

  • Home
  • About
  • Culture
  • Home-making
  • Education
  • Travel
  • Style
  • Series
You are here: Home / Education / Floating diver – STEM pressure activity

Floating diver – STEM pressure activity

January 23, 2017 by Lisa Grable 2 Comments

A floating diver toy depends on buoyancy and an object’s ability to float in water. This STEM activity uses a Cartesian diver to show how pressure can change the size of a bubble.Floating and diver uses an eyedropper to make a Cartesian diver. Kids learn pressure and buoyancy!

Safety note: Be sure to explain safety precautions to children. The floating and diving activity uses water. Disclaimer: All information provided on this site is for entertainment and education purposes only. Using any information from thecasabouquet.com is at your own risk.

Instructions for floating diver

  • cartesian-diver - 1
    cartesian-diver - 2

    Fill a glass or cup with water. You will use this glass to test your floating diver.

  • Squeeze the bulb on the eyedropper to fill the glass tube with water. How full does it get?cartesian-diver - 18
  • Place the eyedropper in the glass. Does it float? If a lot of it is above the water, you will need to get more water into it. Try holding it upside down so the water goes into the bulb. Now try to get more water into it – holding it under a running faucet might work.
    cartesian-diver - 5
    cartesian-diver - 4
    cartesian-diver - 3

  • Test your floating diver until most of it is under the top surface of water.
  • Fill a plastic bottle with water, all the way to the top. Place the diver in the bottle and screw on the cap.cartesian-diver - 19
  • Squeeze the sides of the bottle. What happens? Describe what happens to the air bubble in the eyedropper.
    cartesian-diver - 10
    Floating diver uses an eyedropper to make a Cartesian diver. Kids learn pressure and buoyancy!
    cartesian-diver - 12

What questions can you answer with the floating and diving toy? Can you make the diver float at different heights in the bottle? Does it work the same in a large bottle and a small bottle? What happens if you fill the diver with colored water? Try this with a ketchup, mustard, or soy sauce packet. How does a whale go up and down in the ocean? A submarine?

Supplies

Affiliate links: if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.

  • An empty plastic bottle (drink or dish soap)
  • Eyedropper
  • Drinking glass

More: plastic pipettes, drinking straw, clay or sculpey, hex nut, ballpoint pen cap

What is the science?

Content: buoyancy, ideal gas law

Objects with density lower than water will float. The bubble in the diver changes when pressure is applied to the bubble, changing the density of the diver and causing it to sink.

https://casabouquet.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/floating-diver-mp3.m4v

Resource links

  • http://www.physics.org/interact/physics-to-go/cartesian-diver/index.html
    • A demonstration of a diver made from a straw
  • http://buggyandbuddy.com/cool-science-kids-make-cartesian-diver/
    • Make a diver from a pipette and hex nut from Buggy and Buddy

Let’s talk story

In the 1980s, it was pretty common for cereal to include a toy inside. I got this Tony the Tiger floating diver toy and immediately added him to my stash of physics toys. I wish they would make these available again!

I’ll be looking for comments below, or contact me at lisa [at] thecasabouquet[dot]com.horizontal bar with plumeria

Share this post:
error
fb-share-icon
Tweet
fb-share-icon

Filed Under: Education, Science Tagged With: Archimedes' principle, buoyancy, Cartesian diver, density, ideal gas law, pressure experiment, science experiment, STEM, STEM activity

Previous Post: « Kinston NC historic eastern North Carolina town
Next Post: Lisa’s Home Bijou: The Postman Always Rings Twice »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joanne Rawson

    January 26, 2017 at 6:11 pm

    That looks like so much fun! My boys would really enjoy this. Pinned.

    Reply
    • Lisa Grable

      January 27, 2017 at 7:20 am

      Hey Joanne, Thanks for pinning! It’s always fun to explain something that looks like magic!

      Reply

What are your thoughts? Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hey, I’m Lisa

Lisa Grable, Casa BouquetI’m an educator, grandmother, classic movie fan, sewer and crafter, and I love Hawaii. Read more about me …

Subscribe for email updates

Don't miss a post! Receive an email when new posts are published. Get freebies!

Please follow & like us :)

Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
Instagram
Follow by Email
RSS

Amazon

The Radiant One: A Story of Life, Loss & Legacy by Kauʻi Dalire

#thatsmykumu Kumu Kau’i Dalire has released her first book. From a family with 8 generations of hula legacy, she won Merrie Monarch’s Miss Aloha Hula and is a fierce mom, songwriter, athlete, world traveler, and entrepreneur. Read about finding strength after heartbreaking loss, fueled by hula and family.Dalire book The Radiant One

Recent Posts

The Ka'u and Puna regions have fascinating things to do on the Big Island. Punaluu black sand beach, the Kilauea volcano, Pahoa town, and orchids.

Ka’u and Puna regions – Big Island Hawaii

St. Louis Blues Eartha Kitt Cab Calloway

Lisa’s Home Bijou: St. Louis Blues

hello spring giveaway

Hello Spring giveaway 03.20 – 04.20.2021

Annie Oakley was the show business image of the West and Southwest. Barbara Stanwyck plays a scrappy, loving Annie in George Stevens’ film. Lisa's Home Bijou: Annie Oakley (1935)

Annie Oakley 20th century icon: Lisa’ Home Bijou

Posts by Category

Casa Bouquet parties

Over the Moon

Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party
Wonderful Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things

Featured series

Casa Bouquet pie recipes series.
College planning posts for middle and high school students. Download free checklist, cost calculation, and career interest worksheets. Resource links!

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework · Design by Stephanie Jones