Name:_______________________

Date______________

The Amazing Penny Challenge!!

The Mission: Antioch University heard from Mr. Lord that your class had a lot of potential as scientists. They have a scientific mission they would like you to complete. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to figure out how many drops of three different liquids – water, vinegar, soap-water mixture – will fit on a penny.

You must rank the three liquids from lowest number of drops to highest number of drops. If everyone ranks the liquids correctly, everyone will get a prize. Good luck.

Prediction (From 'Do now')

I think:

_____ drops of water

_____ drops of vinegar and

_____ drops of water-soap mixture

will fit on a penny.

Supplies:

-Pipette

-Three pieces of paper towel

-One cup of water

-One cup of vinegar

-One cup of water-soap mixture

-Nine Pennies

Procedure:

Start with water.

Step 1: Rinse a penny in tap water and dry it completely.

Step 2: Place the penny on paper towel.

Step 3: Use a pipette to place drops of WATER (H2O) on the penny one at a time until water begins to run over the edge of the penny.

 (This means you stop counting as soon as a drop causes the water to move to the paper towel – you don't count the drop that caused it to spill over).

Step 4: Record the number of drops for that trial in the table.

** Remember: Use a new penny for every trial, and do three trials for each type of liquid. And count carefully!!!!

Step 5: Do the same for Vinegar and Water.

Step 6: When you've done all three, then rank them 1-3, with 1 being the liquid that fit the smallest number of drops, 3 being the most, and 2 being the middle.

Data Chart

Bonus (If you have time):

Was the actual number of drops the penny held for each liquid more or less than you predicted? Why do you think this is?