soda sink or float experiment

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Floating and Sinking Soda Pop Cans Science Experiment

Are you ready for a ‘Does It Float?” science experiment? We have done experiments with Floating Eggs , and  Sinking Oranges , now we are going to experiment with pop cans (or soda cans depending on what part of the world you live in)!

Grab your supplies and try this experiment with us. Just be sure all your cans are the same shape, size and volume (12 FL OZ or 355 mL), and that you have a variety of different types of pop including regular and diet. The experiment is a simple yet effective density experiment that will take only about 5 minutes to perform. 

Let’s find out which ones will float in water and which ones will sink!

JUMP TO SECTION: Instructions | Video Tutorial | How it Works | Lab Kit

Supplies Needed

• Large Bucket or Container
• Unopened Pop Cans (use a variety of pop, some regular and some diet)

Floating & Sinking Soda Pop Cans Science Lab Kit – Only $5

Use our easy Floating & Sinking Soda Pop Can Science Lab Kit to grab your students’ attention without the stress of planning!

It’s everything you need to  make science easy for teachers and fun for students  — using inexpensive materials you probably already have in your storage closet!

Floating and Sinking Pop Cans Experiment Instructions

Experiments Setup – Start with some observations about the cans. Are they the same size? What about the same shape? List the ways the cans are the same. Then list the ways the cans are different. Now ask a few more questions. Do you think the cans will sink or float when placed in water? Do you think they will all behave the same way (meaning will they all float, or will they all sink)? Write down your hypothesis (prediction) and then follow the steps below.

Step 1 – Begin by filling a large container with water. The water should be deep enough so you can easily tell which cans are floating and sinking.

Step 2 – Slowly place each can into the water one at a time. Make sure to tip the can on it’s side when you are placing it in the water so no air is trapped at the bottom of the can. If there is a bubble of air trapped at the bottom of the can, the results of the experiment will be impacted. 

Step 3 – Observe the cans as you place them in the water. Are they all behaving the same way? Which cans are floating? Which cans are sinking? 

Step 4 – After all the cans are in the water, examine the results and try to figure out why some of the cans float to the top and others sink to the bottom. Find out the answer in the how does this experiment work section below.

Video Tutorial

How Does the Floating and Sinking Pop Cans Science Experiment Work

Why do some cans of pop sink while some float? All of the cans have the exact same shape, size and volume. Density is the key to this experiment! Density is a measure of the mass per unit volume of a substance. Water has a density of 1 g/mL (g/cm3). Objects will float in water if their density is less than 1 g/mL. Objects will sink in water if their density is greater than 1 g/mL. The cans of diet pop are less dense than water, so they float. The cans of regular pop are more dense than water so they sink.

Now you may be wondering why the density of the cans of pop is different. The answer lies in the type of sweetener used in each pop. Sugar is used to sweeten regular pop, a lot of sugar. This large quantity of sugar causes the can to become more dense than water. Artificial sweeteners are used in diet pop. However, a much smaller amount of artificial sweetener is used which causes the can to be less dense than water.

There you have it, even though the cans were the exact same shape, size and volume (335mL) the densities were different due to the sugar!

I hope you enjoyed the experiment. Here are some printable instructions:

Floating & Sinking Pop Can Experiment

Instructions.

• Begin by filling a large container with water. The water should be deep enough so you can easily tell which cans are floating and sinking.
• Slowly place each can into the water one at a time. Make sure to tip the can on it’s side when you are placing it in the water so no air is trapped at the bottom of the can. If there is a bubble of air trapped at the bottom of the can, the results of the experiment will be impacted.
• Observe the cans as you place them in the water. Which ones floating? Which ones sink?
• After all the cans are in the water, try to figure out why some of the cans float and others sink.

Reader Interactions

November 15, 2016 at 7:08 pm

This was helpful

March 2, 2018 at 9:53 am

This really helped me with my kids’ experiment. Now she will be able to do it on her on.

November 27, 2018 at 3:38 pm

this was the reason why i got first place in the science fair thanks for sharing great science fair ideas best web ever keep up good work :).

April 7, 2019 at 8:18 am

My daughter is doing this for a science fair project this year, we used regular soda and diet and the diets floated, regulars sank.. However afterwards we threw in a caffeine free regular soda and it floated. Similar in grams of sugar than regular soda but still floated… I’m stumped. All are equal size and weight.

February 10, 2020 at 11:51 am

We tried this in my science class. We found out the sugar in the regular soda caused it to be more dense than the diet soda (which has artificial sweetener). We had fun with this experiment!

February 28, 2020 at 9:07 am

September 14, 2020 at 12:44 pm

This is one of my favorite experiments ever!!!!!! I´ve done it with my son and he loves it too.

September 14, 2020 at 12:48 pm

It has something to do with the caffeine. There is not a lot of caffeine in diet sodas, so it makes them float a little. Did the caffeine free sodas float at the top while the diet sodas floated under the water.

January 28, 2024 at 1:08 pm

Thank you so much

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Do Soda Pop Cans Float Or Sink?

Do soda pop cans float or sink? The answer may seem simple, but not so fast! There is some really cool science behind the answer and all may not be as it seems. So what did you guess? Float? Sink? Guess what? You are both right! See, told ya, cool science.

Camping Science With Cans

What you will discover in this article!

This activity is the perfect camping challenge. Who hasn’t sat around the campsite, a cooler full of ice and soda pop cans at the ready. As the day goes on the ice slowly melts leaving the cans in water, but do they float or sink?

Inquiring minds wanted to know, so we set off to do some experimenting!

This is a super easy activity to do,  but the results are amazing. All you need is:

a large container, some water variety of soda pop cans (new, unopened).

First up, we tested a can of regular Coke. We slipped the can into the water and it… sank quickly to the bottom. But as we watched it sink we realized something cool, some bubbles escaped from under the can, so that gave us an idea.

This time we placed the can very carefully straight up and down into the water and it floated! As long as we kept that air bubble in the concave bottom of the can, it was able to float.

We repeated with the Pepsi… and got the same results.

Canada Dry Ginger Ale gave the same results.

We figured we had this activity down, then we put in the Diet Pepsi and it… floated! We wriggled it about to make sure there was no air bubble underneath, but it continued to happily bob along at the top of our jar.

Now we had some really cool results and science to explore!

Our original question was: do soda pop cans float or sink? We had already discovered we could make it float, but that generally they sink, now this one can of diet pop was throwing us for a loop. We hit the books, did some research and found some fascinating answers.

The Science

Our cans were all the same size and volume. So what could possibly account for the difference?

That’s right. The regular pops have sugar, and lots of it. Diet pop uses artificial sweeteners that are much stronger or sweeter than sugar, so only a small amount of sweetener is needed. The difference between the amount of sugar used in regular pop and sweetener used in diet causes a significant difference in the density of the liquids.

Regular pop is more dense than water, therefore it sinks. This is called displacement . Diet pop is less dense than water and weighs less than the water it displaces, this causes it to float.

To further prove this theory regarding mass and density we weighed the cans and the diet pop weighed an average of 20 grams less than the regular pop. This is despite the cans having the exact same volume and being in every other way identical.

Science is so cool!

Now, once we got to this point I simply had to test one more thing. A beer can. And guess what? It floats! The reason is that all the sugars are fermented out in the alcohol creation process, which results in a liquid that is less dense than water.

Again, weighing the can showed it weighed about the same as diet.

So next time you are camping, do a little STEM work and wow your fellow campers as you make some cans float and other sink, all with science. Make sure to ask your crowd: Do soda pop cans float or sink? first, then wow them with the results!

Taking It Further

Frankly, we found this experiment so interesting I challenged the kids to apply the scientific method and explore this concept even more. We did it using a simple water balloon experiment that was fun and educational.

Learn more about our water balloon science experiment, exploring density here.

After you can try the same water balloon experiment using other liquids like juices, oil, salt water, and more.

Have fun learning while enjoying the great outdoors!

More Science Experiments for Kids

5 Days of Smart STEM Ideas for Kids

Get started in STEM with easy, engaging activities.

For this experiment you will need:

• several unopened cans of regular soda of different varieties • several unopened cans of diet soda of different varieties • a large aquarium or sink

Fill the aquarium or sink almost to the top with water. Place a can of regular soda into the water. Make sure that no air bubbles are trapped under the can when you place it in the water. Does it sink or float? Repeat the experiment with a can of diet soda. Does it sink or float?

Why does one can sink, and the other can float?

The cans of soda have exactly the same volume, or size. But their density differs due to what is dissolved in the soda. Regular soda contains sugar as a sweetener. If you look at the nutrition facts on a can of regular soda, you will notice that it contains sugar...a lot of sugar. In some cases a 12 ounce can of regular soda will contain over 40 grams of sugar. Diet sodas, on the other hand, use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. These artificial sweeteners may be hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, which means that less than a few grams of artificial sweetener is used in a can of diet soda. The difference in the amount of dissolved sweeteners leads to a difference in density. Cans of regular soda tend to be more dense than water, so they sink. Cans of diet soda are usually less dense than water, so they float.

Are there any varieties of regular soda that will float? Are there any varieties of diet soda that sink? Can you think other factors that might influence which sodas float or sink?

For another look at how dissolved sugar affects the density of a solution, see the layered liquids experiment.

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Easy Sink or Float Experiment For Kids

Open the fridge and pantry drawers for this sink or float experiment. You have everything you need to test whether objects sink or float in the water with common household items. Plus, grab the free printable worksheets to add to extend the activity.

Sink or Float Experiment

We used items from the kitchen for our sink and float experiment. Plus, I am sure your child will be able to come with other fun things to test! You can even have them test a collection of their favorite items, too!

Watch the Video:

💡Read all about the science below! Take a look at more experiments you can do here!

• a large container filled with water
• different fruits and vegetables
• aluminum foil
• aluminum cans
• spoons (both plastic and metal)
• anything your kiddos want to explore
• free printable worksheets (see below)

💡 Tip: You could also try peeling or slicing your vegetables. 

Instructions:

STEP 1. Before you start, have your kiddos predict whether the item will sink or float before placing the object in the water.

STEP 2. Place each object in the water one by one and observe whether it sinks or floats.

If the object floats, it will rest on the water’s surface. If it sinks, it will fall beneath the surface. Read the science info below about why some objects float and some sink.

Extension: Does Aluminum Sink or Float?

The aluminum can, and aluminum foil were some exciting things we tested in our sink or float activity . We noticed the empty can could float, but it would sink when pushed under the water. Also, we could see the air bubbles that helped it float. Have you seen the crushing cans experiment?

Project: Does a full can of soda float, too? Just because something feels heavy doesn’t mean it will sink!

The aluminum foil floats when it is a flat sheet when it is crippled into a loose ball, and even a tight ball. However, if you give it an excellent pound to flatten it, you can make it sink. Removing the air will sink it. Check out this buoyancy activity with tin foil here!

Project: Can you make a marshmallow sink? We tried it with a Peep candy. See it here. What about a paper clip? Check out this experiment here.

Why Do Objects Sink or Float?

Some objects sink, and some objects float, but why is that? The reason is density and buoyancy!

Every state of matter, liquid, solid, and gas, has a different density. All states of matter are made up of molecules, and density is how tightly those molecules are packed together, but it’s not just about weight or size!

Items with molecules packed tighter together will sink, while items made up of molecules that are not as tightly packed together will float. Just because an item is considered a solid doesn’t mean it will sink.

For example, a piece of balsa wood or even a plastic fork. Both are considered “solids,” but both will float. The molecules in either item are not packed together as tightly as a metal fork, which will sink. Give it a try!

If the object is denser than water, it will sink. If it’s less dense, it will float!

Check out more easy density experiments.

Buoyancy is the ability of an object to float or rise in a fluid, such as water or air. It occurs because the upward force exerted by the fluid (liquid or gas) is greater than the downward force of gravity acting on the object.

In simpler terms, buoyancy is how well something floats. Generally, the greater the surface area, the better the buoyancy. You can see this in action with our tin foil boats !

In our sink or float experiment below the vegetables that float are buoyant because the upward force of the water is greater than their weight, helping them stay on the water’s surface. Those that sink are denser than water.

TIP: Discuss how some vegetables might have air pockets inside them, contributing to their buoyancy.

Try This: Do Vegetables Sink or Float?

Generally, fruits and vegetables with higher water content are more likely to float, while those with lower water content or denser structures may sink. Here are some examples:

Fruits and Vegetables That Tend to Float:

These fruits and vegetables have a higher water content and often contain air pockets, making them less dense than water and more likely to float.

Fruits and Vegetables That Tend to Sink:

• Sweet potatoes
• Avocado (when submerged)
• Winter squash

These fruits and vegetables are denser and have less water content, making them more likely to sink in water.

It’s important to note that there can be variations within each type of fruit or vegetable, and factors such as size, ripeness, and the presence of air pockets can influence whether they float or sink. Conducting a simple sink or float experiment with a variety of fruits and vegetables can be a great way to explore these ideas further.

Free Printable Sink or Float Worksheets!

Grab our free sink or float printable worksheets for kids to record their observations! Find more [here] .

More Fun Water Experiments

Check out our list of science experiments for Jr Scientists!

• Walking Water Experiment
• What Materials Absorb Water?
• What Dissolves In Water?
• Saltwater Density Experiment
• Do Oranges Sink or Float?
• Freezing Water

Printable Science Projects For Kids

If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!

• 90+ classic science activities  with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information.  NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
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Wonderful idea and great way to kick start our science week in the little room. But the free printable is not there anymore. Is the link broken?

Hi Emily, thank you! It is there towards the bottom of the page. It is possible that your organization is blocking the link. Feel free to email me [email protected]

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Will It Sink or Float?

This simple sink or float science experiment is great for kids of all ages! It’s a fun way to work on making predictions, testing hypotheses and drawing conclusions. And, as a big bonus, it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Snag your set below and then hop over and grab even more STEM fun with our Epic STEM Challenge Bundle!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Getting Ready

To prep, I grabbed a bag of conversation hearts and seven clear glasses. Then, I raided our pantry for every liquid I could find: apple juice, white vinegar, molasses, olive oil, water, maple syrup, etc.

Then, I printed off the free sink or float prediction sheet (below) and grabbed a pencil for Middle Brother to use when he filled it out.

Middle Brother (age 4) LOVES  science experiments!  Therefore, he was eager to jump in and start working. We filled each cup with a different liquid and labeled them with a strip of Scotch Expressions Tape .

I helped him write down the name of each liquid on the chart. Then, focusing on one liquid at a time, he predicted whether the conversation heart he would drop in later was going to sink to the bottom or float on top. I marked his hypotheses with an “X.”

The most exciting part came next: finding out the results! We grabbed our cup of molasses, the first liquid on our list, and Middle Brother dropped in a conversation heart.

He was thrilled to see the heart plop on top of the sticky liquid and just float.

We marked the column “float” with a circle to show it was the actual result and talked about how it differed from his prediction (that the heart would sink).

Moving from one liquid to the next, Middle Brother continued testing his hypotheses and recording his results just like a grown up scientist.

The Science Behind It

Everything is made up of molecules – teeny tiny particles that can only be seen with a microscope.

If those molecules are packed very closely together, they are more dense. If the molecules are spread apart, they are less dense.

Each of our liquids had a different density. As a result, when we dropped the conversation heart on top of a liquid, it would float on top if the liquid was more dense than the candy heart.

If, however, the liquid was less dense than the candy heart, it would sink to the bottom.

Ready to Experiment?!

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Science Projects > Physics & Engineering Projects > Learn About Sinking & Floating Objects  

Learn About Sinking & Floating Objects

All objects, including liquids, have a mass-to-volume ratio known as density. Density is a measurement for how compact (close together) the molecules in the object are.

In the first sink or float experiment, you’ll predict the density of common household objects. In the second oil in water experiment, you’ll analyze the density of common liquids.

Floatable Objects Experiment

Sink or float.

You probably already know that some things will float in water and some will not. Do you know why that is? Sometimes the best way to find out if something will sink or float is just to try it—and that is exactly what you’ll do in this “floatable objects” experiment! Gather up some objects from around your house to test their sinking or floating abilities. Make sure all of the items you pick can get wet!

What You Need:

• a large container of water (or fill up a sink or bathtub)
• lots of small objects of different weights and materials (plastic, metal, wood, foil, Styrofoam)
• a few larger objects
• HST worksheet

What You Do:

1. Look at the objects you collected. Draw a picture of each one in the boxes on the left side of the worksheet.

2. Make a prediction about each object – do you think it will sink or float in the tub of water? (To make a prediction means to say what you think will happen.) Mark your prediction on the worksheet for each item (circle float or sink).

3. Drop the objects into the water one at a time. Watch what happens to each one. Did you predict correctly? Circle “float” or “sink” next to each object on the sheet to show the results of your experiment.

What Happened:

Even though some of your items seemed very light (things like a paperclip or a button), they still sank in the water. Some objects that might have seemed sort of heavy (like a wooden block) probably floated.

That is because whether an object sinks or floats in water doesn’t just depend on its weight or size. It also depends on its density. Density is a measure of how solid something is. All things are made up of tiny particles called molecules. If the molecules inside an object are very close together, the item is solid, or dense. If the molecules are farther away from each other, the object is less dense, or less solid. An example of a very dense item is a penny. A cork is less dense.

A penny, paperclip, or button sank because the materials they are made of (metal for a paperclip and penny, plastic for a button) had more density than water. (Their molecules are closer together than water molecules are.) A cork, piece of wood, or Styrofoam floated because those materials have less density than water. All the objects that were less dense than water floated in the water! Objects that were more dense than the water sank.

Oil in Water Experiment

Liquid density.

Do you know why oil floats on water? Would an object that sinks in oil be able to float in water? Try this experiment to find out and learn more about density.

• 1-cup glass measuring cup
• vegetable oil
• food coloring
• small objects (we used a raisin, grape, cork, button, penny, screw, and piece of wax)

2. Add 1/3 cup of corn syrup so that the level of liquid in the cup rises to the 2/3 cup mark.

3. Add 1/3 cup of oil to fill the cup to the 1 cup mark.

4. Watch what happens. The layers should separate so that the corn syrup is on the bottom, the oil is on top, and the water is in the middle.

5. Guess where each of your objects will land when dropped into the cup, then test them out one at a time.

The corn syrup was the most dense liquid, so it sank to the bottom of the cup. The water was less dense than the corn syrup, but more dense than the oil, so it settled on top of the corn syrup. The oil was the least dense, so it floated on top of the water!

The objects that you dropped into the cup had different densities. Each object sank into the cup until it got to a liquid that was more dense than it. The cork was not very dense at all, so it floated on the surface of the oil. The wax fell into the oil, but not all the way to the water, so it was more dense than the cork, but not as dense as water. The grape and the raisin fell to the bottom of the water layer, but not into the corn syrup. That means that they were less dense than the corn syrup, but more dense than the water! The penny and screw were very dense; they sank all the way to the bottom of the corn syrup!

To learn more about the properties of water, check out our Science Lesson, Learn About Water .

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Sink or Float Experiments for Kids

June 30, 2011 By Emma Vanstone 4 Comments

You might think sink or float experiments are just for small children, but you can do some great investigations with older children along the same theme.

Do you know how to make a lemon sink ? Or can you make an object that sinks, float ?

Sink or float investigation for little ones

You’ll need.

A large bowl of water

Objects to test (anything you like, but good to pick some solid and some hollow objects)

Instructions

Fill the bowl or container about ⅔ full of water.

Gently place the objects on the water; some objects will float when you gently put them on the water but sink when you drop them.

Can you predict which objects will float and which will sink?

Can you design a table for recording your results?

Another idea is to set up a pirate style sink or float experiment or a lego themed investigation is great fun too!

Why do some things float and some things sink?

Whether an object floats or sinks depends on its density . Density is how tightly packed the material inside an object is. Just because something is heavy does not mean it will sink. For example, ships are very heavy but not very dense, so they float.

Something else to try is to make a boat from plasticine and use it to demonstrate how marbles or something similar sink on their own but hopefully float inside the boat.

More sink or float science experiments for kids

Make boats with recycled materials and test them to see if they sink or float. Try adding extra weight to investigate how much they can hold without sinking!

Make an egg float using salt . Adding salt to water increases the density of the water. If the water becomes denser than the egg, the egg will float!

Discover how many coins it takes to sink a tinfoil boa t . This is a great addition or counting activity for younger children too.

Edventures with Kids test different fruits and vegetables to see if they float or sink.

Little boats made with fruit ( melon or lemon skin ) are fun to make and test as well.

Can you think of any more sink or float experiments for us?

Last Updated on January 10, 2023 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

March 08, 2017 at 9:42 pm

Kolmas kerta toden sanoi, sillä mäkin oon pyyöittänrt tätä moneen otteeseen, mutta jättäny ostamatta just hinnan takia 🙂 (eilen oli palkkapäivä eli meni sen piikkiin). Ajattelin, että Hayn peileihin verrattuna 15 egee ei oo kyllä mitään!

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• Float and Sink

Float and Sink Creative Chemistry

Even the most everyday materials—like dish soap and shampoo—can be tools for creative learning! Experimentation with these materials is a great way to learn scientific concepts—like density—through hands-on observation.

Learning Goals

• Build STEM Knowledge
• Communicate Thinking

Tips for Adults

• Ask children to predict what might happen to the materials and to explain their thinking. After they try it, ask them to explain what they observed and why they think their results came out this way.
• Ask children what other materials they’d like to test out next, and what they think might happen. (Hint: this experiment can work well with anything, even diet soda vs. regular soda or different types of fruit!) Then, have fun with endless possible experiments!

Materials Required

• Medium-large clear plastic container
• Household substances such as dish soap, shaving cream, oil, shampoo, conditioner, or other commonly used liquid materials
• Measuring cups
• Liquid watercolor or food coloring (optional)
• Pencil and paper (optional)

Instructions

• Fill your clear plastic container with warm water, and gather the liquid materials you’ll be using.
• Give children time to play with the materials so they become familiar with how they look, feel, and smell.
• Ask children to guess whether each material will sink or float in the water, then try out each material one-by-one to see what happens. Encourage them to record their observations, and whether or not their predictions were correct.
• Encourage children to use measuring cups to try different amounts of the materials. Draw their attention to the differences and similarities between the way the materials respond to each other, and to the water.

Sinking Soda Surprise

Which of your favorite sodas will sink, and which beverages will float it's density at its finest.

Print this Experiment

I remember as a kid diving to the bottom of the swimming pool to retrieve unopened cans of soda pop. Our parents tossed the unopened cans of soda into the pool as a game on the Fourth of July or any time they wanted to keep us busy. So, based on my personal experience, I knew that unopened cans of soda sink in water . . . until I saw my first can of soda float. Why do some cans of soda float and others sink?

Experiment Videos

Here's What You'll Need

An assortment of unopened soda cans (diet, regular, brand name, generic) note: use standard 12-ounce cans. mini-cans will not work., a large, deep container of water like a 5-gallon bucket or an aquarium, let's try it.

Ask your audience the question: “Will this can of regular soda float or sink in the bucket of water?” After gathering everyone’s answer, place the can of regular soda in the water and notice that it sinks to the bottom.

Pick up a can of diet soda and pose the same question. Be sure to point out the fact that the cans are exactly the same size and shape and contain the same amount of liquid (compare the number of milliliters—probably 355 mL). Place the can of diet soda in the water. It floats! Wobble the can from side to side to show your audience that there are no bubbles trapped under the bottom. It still floats. Why?

Let your group experiment with different kinds of soda. Why do the diet sodas float and the regular sodas sink, no matter the brand?

How Does It Work

This demonstration is an excellent way to learn about density. You can determine how dense an object is by using the density equation: Density = Mass divided by Volume. The density of water is 1.0 grams per milliliter. Any object that has a density greater than 1.0 g/mL will sink and any object with a density of less than 1.0 g/mL will float.

Let’s look at the variables. Volume refers to how much space an object occupies. For fluids, volume is usually measured in liters (L) or milliliters (mL). When you compared the different cans of soda, you probably noticed that the cans contained the same amount of liquid (355 mL). Since the cans of soda used for this experiment have the same volume, the only variable left to consider in the density equation is the mass. In order for the density to change, the mass must change . . . and it does! If a diet and a regular soda can are placed on a double-pan balance scale, it quickly becomes clear that the regular soda is heavier (or has more mass) than the diet soda. Mass refers to how much stuff exists within an object, and for the purposes of our experiment, mass is measured in grams.

What’s inside the can of regular soda that makes it so much heavier than diet soda? Comparing the list of ingredients on both cans you see that a can of regular soda has about 150 calories while diet soda has 0 calories. All of those calories come from one place . . . sugar! Diet sodas usually contain aspartame, an artificial sweetener, while regular sodas use sugar. Take a look at the nutritional information on the side of the cans. Notice how much sugar is in a regular soda (look under carbohydrates). Most regular sodas have between 39 and 43 grams of sugar. This added mass is why the cans of regular soda sink in water.

So, how much is 40 grams of sugar? If you go to a restaurant and order tea, some people add two or three packets of sugar (okay, some people stir in six packets of sugar, but we’re talking about the average person). How many packets of sugar make up 40 grams? Of course, not every packet of sugar is the same, but a little research of the published nutritional information from fast food restaurants in the United States revealed that a packet contains about 4 grams of sugar, and those 4 grams of sugar have 15 calories. This means that there about ten packets of sugar in a can of regular soda, accounting for the 150 calories. That’s a lot of sugar!

So the density of a soda actually depends on how much sugar or sweetener is used. The 40 grams of sugar added to a can of regular soda make it sink, and the relatively tiny amount of artificial sweetener used in diet soda has a negligible effect on the mass, enabling the can to float.

Take It Further

Try the experiment again using salt water. Are your results any different? What if you continue adding salt? How much salt do you have to add before your results change? Consider changing the temperature of the water or the temperature of the cans. Do either of those changes affect the results?

Note: If the can of regular soda floats, there might be an air bubble trapped under the bottom of the can. Tip the can to the side to release the pocket of air trapped under the can.

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• Tom Kuntzleman's blog

Chemical Mystery #7: Curious Cans

Q: Does an unopened can of soda pop float or sink in water?

A: It depends!

There are several factors involved in determining whether an unopened can of soda pop will float or sink: For example, what volume of gas is sealed in the headspace of the can? How much aluminum was used in making the can? How much soda is contained in the can? What is the composition of the beverage in the can? It is interesting that given all of these factors, almost all unopened cans of soda pop have densities very close to that of water: some a little bit higher, and others a little bit lower. 1 Of course unopened cans with densities higher than water will sink, while unopened cans with densities lower than water will float.

Several people are familiar with the classic experiment in which unopened cans of regular and diet soda pop are placed in water. When doing this experiment it is observed that diet sodas tend to float, whereas sugared sodas tend to sink. These observations can be explained on the basis of the amount of material dissolved in each type of soda. The addition of solute material to water tends to increase the density of the resulting solution. Inspection of the nutritional information on any sugared soda shows that these sodas tend to contain around 10% sugar by mass. On the other hand, only miniscule amounts of sweetener are added to diet sodas (less than 0.1% by mass) 2 . Thus sugared sodas have higher densities than water and tend to sink while diet sodas have densities lower than water and tend to float. These observations are consistent with a paper which reported experimentally measured densities of unopened cans of soda: 1 regular sodas had densities higher and diet sodas had densities lower than 1.0 g mL -1 .  

While performing this classic experiment recently, I noticed some unexpected behavior. I won’t give away all the details just yet, because I’d like to share this unexpected result with you in Chemical Mystery #7: Curious Cans. Check out the video below, and see if you can solve the mystery of the curious cans! Be sure to share in the comments if you think you know what is going on.

The SOLUTION to this mystery can be found here .

References:

• http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ed086p209
•   http://static.diabetesselfmanagement.com/pdfs/DSM0310_012.pdf

General Safety

For Laboratory Work:  Please refer to the ACS  Guidelines for Chemical Laboratory Safety in Secondary Schools (2016) .  

For Demonstrations: Please refer to the ACS Division of Chemical Education Safety Guidelines for Chemical Demonstrations .

Other Safety resources

RAMP : Recognize hazards; Assess the risks of hazards; Minimize the risks of hazards; Prepare for emergencies

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Fun with Mama

Toddler and preschool activities

Written by Nadia T • Feb 8, 2024 • 4 Comments

Sink Or Float Experiment + Worksheet

This sink or float experiment  for kids is a great way to learn about weight, buoyancy, and density. Children will predict whether the object will sink or float in water and then can write their prediction on the free sink or float worksheet.

We LOVE doing science experiments for kids , and while this activity is geared towards kids 3-7 years old, it’s fun for a large variety of age groups. This is because the older they get, the more “creative” they’ll get with the items that they want to use to sink if they sink or float Related: Have you tried making Ice Cream In A Bag ?

Table of Contents

If you’re looking for a way to add some interesting aspects to home learning or even homeschooling, this is a fun experiment for the kids. You just need to gather up some simple household items and have your child look at them and make their predictions.

Once they get the hang out of it, they’re going to be using this reference in their everyday lives. Maybe the next time you go swimming, they’ll ask if they’ll sink or float when they jump in the pool? Isn’t it great how everything learning can be used easily in everyday life?

You’ll find that a simple Science experiment such as this sink or float experiment is an easy way to get the kids working together, without even really trying.

Why do objects sink or float?

1. Density : Density is a measure of how much mass is contained in a given volume. Objects with greater density than water will sink, while those with less density will float. For example, metals like iron are denser than water, so they sink.

2. Buoyancy : Buoyancy is the upward force exerted by a fluid (in this case, water) on an object immersed in it. This force opposes the weight of the object. Objects that are less dense than water displace an amount of water equal to their weight, causing them to float. Objects that are denser than water displace less water than their weight, so the buoyant force is less than the object’s weight, causing it to sink.

3. Shape and Volume : The shape and volume of an object also play a role in whether it sinks or floats. Even if an object is denser than water, it may float if it has a shape that allows it to displace enough water to generate buoyant force greater than its weight. This is why some boats, made of materials denser than water, float—they are designed to displace a large volume of water, creating enough buoyant force to keep them afloat.

Materials required for the sink or float activity:

You’ll need some materials to get started with this experiment. But also feel free to use other items that you have in your home as well.

• Water container/water table – we used the Ikea Flisat table.
• Objects to use. Choose a combination of items that will sink and those that will float. Items like a button, pencil, flower, crayon, apple, rubber duck, small ball, leaf, pear, etc.
• Printable (found at the bottom of this post, if you’d like to have your student record their predictions and results.)

Which objects sink?

• Metal objects such as paper clips, keys, or screws
• Rocks or pebbles used for sensory play or decoration
• Glass items such as marbles or small glass beads
• Some types of wooden blocks or manipulatives
• Playdough or clay sculptures
• Some types of plastic toys that are denser or heavier
• Coins or tokens used for counting or sorting activities
• Some types of art supplies like ceramic or pottery pieces

These items are usually denser or heavier than water, causing them to sink when placed in water during sink or float experiments or sensory play in preschool classrooms.

Which objects float?

Preschool classroom items that often float include:

• Rubber or plastic toys (such as ducks, boats, or figurines)
• Foam letters or shapes used for learning activities
• Plastic building blocks or manipulatives
• Empty plastic containers or bottles
• Corks or stoppers from various art or craft supplies
• Styrofoam cups or plates used during snack time
• Floating bath books or water-friendly storybooks
• Some types of crayons or markers with plastic casings

These items are typically lightweight and have a lower density compared to water, allowing them to float easily during sink or float experiments or water play activities in preschool classrooms.

Set up the sink or float experiment

Since there is water involved, you might want to set it up outside or on your porch, but if you don’t have that option, don’t worry. You can easily lay down some towels on the floor and have this experiment inside, too.

Once you have gathered up those items, it’s time to get started. (Don’t forget to print out your worksheet below!)

The easiest way to get started is to have your child pick one item, feel the weight of it, write down the item on their sheet and then make a prediction about whether or not it’s going to sink or float.

Then, once they put it into the water, they need to follow that up by recording the correct action that happened.

Talk about this sink or float experiment and why they think that some things are sinking while others are floating. It’s a great way to extend the learning time and to have them active and involved as well.

Questions to discuss after the experiment:

• What did all the items that floated have in common? What about those that sunk?

Did you know that oil has a different density from water? We explored this concept in our fireworks In a jar oil and water science experiment

Other ways to use this sink or float experiment

Once your child gets the hang of how it works, you can even have it to where they’re using two items at the same time and trying to guess which one will sink faster than the other.

Or, have your children take turns and use creative play as though they’re scientists in a lab.

Let them use their imaginations as well when using this science activity!

Make sure to talk about items that are safe (and not safe to put in water) before they go exploring to find more items that can they can use in the sink and float experiment.

(and just in case, be right there with them supervising so that they don’t decide to test out your cell phone to see if it sinks or floats!)

Here’s what students will learn when engaging in sink or float activities:

1. Observation Skills : Preschoolers will learn to observe the behavior of different objects in water. They will notice whether the objects sink to the bottom or float on the surface.

2. Predictions : Engaging in sink or float activities encourages children to make predictions about whether an object will sink or float before testing it out. This helps develop their ability to make educated guesses based on prior knowledge and observations.

3. Cause and Effect : By testing various objects in water, preschoolers begin to understand the cause-and-effect relationship between an object’s properties (such as weight, shape, and density) and its behavior in water.

4. Classification : Students will learn to classify objects based on whether they sink or float. This helps them understand basic concepts of categorization and sorting.

5. Critical Thinking : Sink or float activities promote critical thinking as children explore why certain objects sink while others float. They begin to ask questions and seek explanations, fostering a curious and inquisitive mindset.

6. Comparing and Contrasting : Preschoolers will compare and contrast different objects based on their sinking or floating behavior. This helps them develop skills in recognizing similarities and differences.

7. Problem-Solving Skills : When an object behaves unexpectedly (e.g., a heavy object floats), children engage in problem-solving to understand why it occurred. This encourages them to think creatively and analytically to solve the puzzle.

8. Language Development : Engaging in discussions about sink or float activities enhances language development. Children learn new vocabulary related to buoyancy, density, and properties of objects as they describe their observations and share their findings with others.

9. Hands-On Exploration : Sink or float activities provide hands-on learning experiences that are essential for preschoolers’ cognitive and sensory development. Manipulating objects in water stimulates their senses and enhances their understanding of the physical world.

10. Curiosity and Wonder : Most importantly, sink or float activities spark children’s curiosity and wonder about the world around them. They become excited about science and discovery, laying a foundation for lifelong learning.

Don’t forget to print out your free worksheet printable here!

WHERE TO GET THE ACTIVITY

GET THE SINK OR FLOAT ACTIVITY HERE

Check out the Pop Rocks and Soda Experiment too!

Tips for this Sink and Float Experiment

Build your child’s confidence by letting them take over and fun the show. After learning for a short time, they’re going to be ready to take over and experiment.

Step back and become their “assistant” in the science lab. That way, they’re in charge of the experiment and you’re just there to help them as needed.

Having a towel handy to dry off items is also a good idea. Saves a big mess from happening!

Once your child has gone through all the items, use some math skills and count up how many items sunk versus how many items actually floated.

Don’t forget to change up the items and let them do this sink or float experiment over and over again!

Like Science activities for kids ? Check out these as well:

• Water In A Bag Pencil Experiment – Water Experiment for Kids
• Rain Cloud In A Jar Science Experiment
• Walking Water Experiments For Kids
• How To Make A Lava Lamp Experiment
• Baking Soda Volcano Experiment

More Science Experiments

Nadia is a mom of 4, with a passion for making childhood education fun through play. She encourages parents to spend quality time with their kids through fun kids activities and enjoys art, traveling, and doing activities with her children.

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August 29, 2021 at 10:37 am

Just came across this and it was just what I needed. Can’t wait to use it with my primary classes. Thank you for creating it and I look forward to seeing all your TPT items.

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Buggy and Buddy

Meaningful Activities for Learning & Creating

July 20, 2013 By Chelsey

Science for Kids: Sink or Float (with Free Printable)

Kids love discovering which items will sink or float ! It’s a great hands-on science activity for kids of any age and really gets kids thinking and predicting. Here’s how we set up our sink or float science project, as well as a free printable kids can use to record their observations.

Follow our Science for Kids Pinterest board!

This experiment was actually initiated by Lucy herself! She had approached me one day and asked if I could help get her a container of water to test out some objects she had collected.

Kids are naturally curious about floating and sinking, and this science activity provides the opportunity for children to make predictions and observations about floating and sinking with minimal help.   (This post contains affiliate links.)

Materials for Sink or Float Science:

• Large container filled with water
• Objects collected from around the house
• Free printable recording sheet  (optional)

• Walk around your house with your child and collect items you’d like to test out. (We collected these things: bristle block ,  plastic toy, crayon, cork, a spoon, and a rock.)
• Fill a large container with water. (We used a large plastic bin.)
• Find a place to conduct the science experiment where your child can easily reach the bin and where you don’t mind a bit of water possibly getting out.
• Have your child choose one object at a time.  Do you think it will sink or float? Why?   Have your child place the object in the water and observe what happens. (Optional: Record the result on the recording sheet. You can have your child draw a picture or write the name of the object or model writing and drawing the object yourself.)
• Repeat this for all the objects.
• Why do you think some objects floated and some sank? Is there anything the same about the objects that floated? How about with the objects that sank? 

Lucy had so much fun with this! It was fun to sit back and watch her excitement and curiosity grow as the activity went on. At one point she even came up with a new question, “I wonder what will happen if I push the floating things down to the bottom. Maybe they will stay there.” She discovered they still floated right back up!

• We took our experiment outside. That way there was no worry about a mess being made.
• I left this outside for a few days for the kids to experiment with on their own during play time.
• This would also be a fun center in a school classroom!

Want to go even further?

Even more activities to inspire creativity and critical thinking for various ages.

• Fill up a giant backyard pool with water and do this experiment with larger items.
• For older kids, introduce the terms density and buoyancy to explain what happened.
• Place an orange in your container of water to see if it floats. Peel the orange and try it again. What happened?
• Try the Floating Egg experiment found on Tinkerlab.
• Do our Dancing Raisin science experiment.

Find more STEM activities in our ebook! Learn more about it here , or b uy it now here !

Summer Science Experiments | Sinking Soda Surprise

Last weekend was a holiday for many people. This meant backyard barbques, family get togethers and maybe even a little pool action. For our family, however, we stayed close to home to ease the anxiety of our oldest son who is still transitioning into summer. It’s okay, though, because we found a way to do an entire day of super simple science experiments and we can’t wait to show you. The first experiment seemed the easiest and we were sure we knew what was going to happen in the sinking soda surprise , but as the name suggests… we were very surprised!

Sinking Soda Surprise | Simple Summer Science

Setting up the experiment.

Various Unopened Soda Cans (Coke and Diet are best to start) Large Bucket Water

Free Printable Instructions from Spangler Science (see below)

Setting up this experiment has to be one of the easiest set ups I can show you. All you need is a bucket (ice chest works just fine) of water and full unopened soda. We put the sodas we wanted to test on a tray and filled our bucket with water. The experiment was now set up for anyone wanting to try it out during our summer science fun day.

Conducting the Experiment

Before we started testing if the soda was going to sink or float, we had to do what we do with every experiment and make some predictions. Bones thought the sodas would sink but for some reason I really though that the soda cans would float because of all the air in the cans. Both of us were shocked! Who knew such a simple experiment could be so surprising?

First we tested the coke. Okay, so Bones was right. Soda must sink when put in water. Let’s try the other sodas…

Ummmmmm, do you see that? What is happening to that soda?

Oh My Goodness! Do you see that? Some float… some sink! We didn’t believe our eyes, so we did it again. And Again. And Again. We really were shocked a simple science experiment could be so fun. The best part? We got to be the ones that shocked the rest of the family when they came out to join the summer fun.

We did about five experiments that day, and we can’t wait to tell you all about them. We got all the ideas from our partners at Steve Spangler Science Club.

Want to know how this science experiment works?

Print this Free Surprising Soda Science Experiment Guide

This post comes with a free printable   to help you share the love of science with others.

Our friends at Spangler Science have been nice enough to give us this awesome simple printable. It is perfect for summer camp, an afternoon experiment or to save for a rainy day. Best of all, when you download it, you let me know that you want to know about any new science experiments I might share!

• Download the guide . You’ll get the printable, plus join my weekly newsletter! Click Here to Download and Subscribe
• Print . Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.
• Place it on your refrigerator. 

Do you have a favorite Summer Science Experiment ? I would love to know! Connect with me on Facebook , Twitter , Google+ , Pinterest , Instagram or subscribe by email . I can’t wait to hear your ideas.

TIME FOR STEM SATURDAY BLOG HOP!

Still wanting more STEM activity ideas? Luckily you can always head over to last week’s post and check out more great science resources! Each week, we will share ideas in one or more of the areas of STEM to give you more ideas to get you ready to explore learning in an exciting way!

VISIT THESE GREAT BLOGGERS FOR MORE STEM FUN!

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