Title: Density of Glass Fragments

CONTENT AREA :
Physical Science

Fast Facts

GRADE LEVEL : Middle School STANDARDS :

Properties and changed of properties in matter. A substance has characteristic properties, such as density, a boiling point, and solubility, all of which are independent of the amount of the sample. A mixture of substances often can be separated into the original substances using one or more of the characteristic properties.

Density is mass per unit volume. Mass is the quantity of matter in an object. Volume is the space that a substance (solid, liquid, gas, or plasma) occupies or contains. The formula to calculate density is: !"## ! Density = (p = ).
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Mass with the gravitational force on an object is referred to as weight. One can calculate mass, volume, or density as long as two of the three variables are given. (mass = volume x density) !"## (volume = )
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PURPOSE :
Students will identify the physical properties of glass and calculate the density of different types of glass.

LENGTH OF TIME :
60 minutes

MATERIALS :
Resource Sheet: Water Displacement Method Student Sheet: Glass Fragments Five glass fragments from different sources (mirror, Plexiglas, window, light bulb, tempered glass) Graduated cylinders Digital scales Small envelopes Tweezers Water Board/chart paper

You can measure the volume of an object using the water displacement method. The water displacement method is used to find the volume of an object based on the amount of liquid displaced. Chemical Property is any characteristic that gives a substance the ability to undergo a change that results in a new substance. For example: burning wood/ baking a cake. Physical Property is any characteristic that can be observed or measured without changing the composition of matter. For example: size, shape.

WHOLE GROUP
1. Have the warm up question posted on the board as students enter the room, How can an investigator differentiate one glass sample from another? Using the Physical Property definition in Fast Facts, have students share their responses to this question based on the physical properties of glass. 2. To introduce the lesson, share with students a story on a crime that was committed - "There was a hit and run car accident in the school parking lot this morning. The police have requested that the students from this class compare the glass fragments found at the crime scene with those taken from two suspects vehicles. You will need to report your findings to the police department as soon as possible." 3. Take students to the "crime scene" and have them collect the evidence (several pieces of each glass fragment sample) using tweezers.

Note to Teacher: The crime scene can be a separate table within the classroom, or it can be an outside location that
has been setup prior to the class. If the crime scene is an outside location, return to the class for the next steps in the activity after collecting the evidence.

SMALL GROUPS
1. Have students get into groups of four. Using the information in Fast Facts, tell the groups they will be required to note the physical properties of individual glass fragments as well as their density. 2. Explain to students they will need to describe the physical property of each glass fragment sample. Groups will need to distinguish one fragment from the others (for example, color, texture, size, shape). Have each student name the type of glass and record their answers under the Physical Properties column on the Student Sheet. 3. On the board / chart paper write the formula for density (Density = Mass / Volume). Using information in Fast Facts, explain the formula used to calculate density and define terms mass and volume. 4. Distribute one scale to each group, and have groups weigh each glass fragment sample in milligrams. Have students record the mass (in mg) under the Mass column on the Student Sheet. 5. Distribute Resource Sheet: Water Displacement Method and review with students how to measure the volume of an irregular object. Students will use this method to determine the volume of an object. 6. Distribute one graduated cylinder to each group. Also distribute one separate cup with a small amount of water to each group. 7. Have students find the volume of each glass fragment and record the volume (in mL) under the Volume column on the Student Sheet. 8. Have students calculate the density by using the formula D = Density column on the Student Sheet.
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) and have them record their answer under the

Note to Teacher: Be sure to have the students repeat steps 7 11 for each fragment of glass and record the mass, volume, and density on the Student Sheet.

FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS
1. Why were the physical properties of glass important to investigating this crime scene? 2. How can knowing the density of the glass fragments found at a crime scene be helpful in solving a crime?

Adapted from TeachersFirst.com Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers Copyright 1998-2013 by The Source for Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

RESOURCE SHEET: WATER DISPLACEMENT METHOD

Materials: Water Graduated cylinder Various Glass Fragments Procedure: 1. Fill a graduated cylinder with water up to 20 milliliters.

image courtesy of learn.uci.edu

2. Drop a glass fragment in the graduated cylinder and see how much water is displaced.

image courtesy of learn.uci.edu

3. Subtract the higher number from the lower number and that will be the volume of your object. a. 30mL 20mL = 10mL

 STUDENT SHEET: GLASS FRAGMENTS

Directions: Using a digital scale and the Water Displacement Method, determine the mass and volume for a various types of glass fragments collected as evidence from the crime scene. Then calculate the density of the objects using the formula: Density =
!"## !"#$%&

. Record all data in the table below.

Procedure 1. Record the type of glass and physical properties of each glass fragment in the table below. 2. Using a digital scale, measure the mass of each glass fragment listed in the table and record your data in the table below. 3. Using the graduated cylinder, measure the volume of each object using the water displacement method and record your data below. 4. Calculate the density of each object and record your data. Type of Glass Physical Properties Mass (mg) Volume (mL) Density