Demo: submergedbowlingball

Simon Fraser University

SFU.ca Burnaby

Surrey

Vancouver

Demo

What it does:

The weight of a bowling ball is measured before and after it has been submerged in a tank of water. The weight drops after it has been submerged.

Concepts demonstrated:

Buoyant force.

Equipment: A bowling ball with an eye hook, a spring scale, and a tank of water.
Setup time: Short
Difficulty: Easy
Visibility: High. This demonstration is appropriate for large lecture halls.
Classroom assembly:
1. Hang the bowling ball on the spring scale and measure its weight in air.
2. While still attached to the spring scale, submerge the bowling ball in the tank of water.
3. Measure the weight of the bowling ball in water.

References:

Disclaimer: Don't attempt this at home.

Credits: Prepared by Jeff Rudd, 1999
Revised by Laura Schmidt, 2011