Oct. 8-12 Reflection

Primarily, the main ideas this week were about finding the density of an actual human being, reviewing over density, mass, volume, and particle diagrams, and using the scientific method.

This week, we reviewed over how particles should be aligned. Even though we did not come to a consensus as to how they should look, the two options that they were in a straight line or like stacked fruit in a grocery store where there would be space between the particles on top and bottom.

First example, Jack and Maria volunteered for the experiment. The question was what their densities were, so we hypothesized that Jack would have a greater density than Maria.

By calculating their densities, we were essentially increasing our knowledge on how to find density, mass, and volume. In this experiment, we used the scientific method to make this experiment function perfectly. In the scientific method, the question is always asking about the answer.

The hypothesis, though, leads to how the experiment will be done because it sets up as an educated guess that will be challenged. The procedure, though, is the biggest how because this includes the steps to the experiment, in what order they will be performed, and how they will be performed.

So, after making the hypothesis, we planned our experiment out before we did the experiment. The first thing we did was to collect their weights in pounds so that we could convert them to grams later for their masses. For example, Maria’s weight was 91.8 pounds, and Jack’s weight was 151 pounds. Then, we had to determine how we were going to get their volumes using water displacement.

But, first, we had to convert their weights in pounds to grams. Jack's mass is 68,490 grams, and Maria's mass is 41,639.78 grams.

The idea to find volume was to place the kiddy pool underneath the garbage can. Then, fill a garbage can with 44 gallons of water, since that was the maximum it could hold, and that the displaced water, as a result of the two students getting in at different times, would pour out of the garbage can into the pool. Then, we would collect the amount of water using 2-liter bottles, and that would be the volume. After we did this, we had to count how many 2-liter bottles were filled for both Jack and Maria so that we could find their volumes.

 

Then we had to convert the liters into mL keeping in mind that 1 liter=1,000mL. Jack’s volume was equal to 54 liters, so in mL, his volume was 54,000 mL, and Maria’s volume was equal to 39 liters, so in mL, her volume was 39,000 mL.

Next, we divided the newly converted mass by the newly converted volume. So we found their densities to be:

Jack=68,490g/54,000mL=1.2012666 g/mL.

Maria=41,639.78g/39,000mL=1.067g/mL.

Some of the important details to consider were that to find the mass of a human, you must weigh them first in pounds and then convert their weight to grams. Next, the volume had to found through water displacement–in this case, it was the difference between the 44 gallons and the new amount of water with a person in the water. The difference was the amount of water that poured in the kiddy pool. Then, as soon as those were found, the density could be found. Also, it was important to know how to do the experiment. Otherwise, you would be lost in the process of finding the answer to the hypothesis, and then the process of the experiment would be disorderly.

In class, we discussed what we would do before we did the experiment. Someone suggested that a kiddy pool should be used, and someone suggested that a garbage can should be used, but first, we had to determine that someone could fit in the garbage can, and they did. Also, we had to determine that the pool was large enough to hold the water, and its dimensions were 5 by 7 feet, so this would be enough. To plan out the experiment, some of the students, including me, went on Google Drive and wrote down the procedures to the experiment.

During the lab, I helped my class collect the water in 2-liter bottles in order to collect Jack and Maria's volumes. The water we collected was the water that was spilled into the kiddy pool, which was underneath the garbage can. Then, what I did was add suggestions to some of the slides, such as the sources of uncertainty slide. I suggested that they should have added the fact that some of the water poured all over the floors, so the volume was measured less than it should have. Thereby, the densities should have been less.