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Mix some ordinary things from around the house to
cool off with Kid Scoop News for extraordinary fun!
Fill the cup with water until the
water is nearly to the brim. Start
adding small pebbles or pennies
to the cup. How many do you
think you can add before the water
spills from the cup?
You will add lots of pebbles or
pennies. The water actually rises
above the rim of the cup and stays there!
Surface tension holds the water together.
Standards Link: Science: Conduct a simple investigation and analyze results to
develop a logical conclusion.
Water is made up of small particles called molecules that are too
small to see. Water molecules are strongly attracted to each other.
This explains why water "sticks" together.
The water molecules below the surface
pull more strongly than the air molecules
above the water, and this keeps the water
molecules on the surface from flowing
over. As more objects are added to the
cup of water, the surface stretches as if
it's made of elastic. When too many
objects are added, the pressure to pull the water molecules down
becomes too great and the surface bursts, spilling water everywhere.
Standards Link: Physical Science: All matter is made up of very small particles called atoms. Atoms
combine to form molecules. Atoms exist in solids, liquids and gas.
Rest two pencils on a table (or the side of your bathtub),
about 3 inches apart. Stretch a strip of wide, clear tape
between them. Using your eyedropper, put a drop of water
on the tape. Surface tension holds
the drop together and the
force of gravity flattens
it against the tape to
make a lens.
Slide a small object such as
a postage stamp or a picture
from the newspaper under your waterdrop lens.
What happens?
Standards Link: Physical Science: Understand the unique properties of water.
Ever noticed little beads of water on the
sink after you've brushed your teeth?
That's surface tension at work.
www.kidscoop.com © Vicki Whiting June/July 2020
Official Kids Mag
