Staying Afloat: A Water Science Experiment 

One of the joys of Christian homeschooling is the freedom to incorporate faith into lessons. Use this fun science experiment from Children’s Ministry Magazine to explore the wonder of water density. Along the way, discover how faith makes the impossible possible. Before you begin, pose this question to your homeschooler: Do you think a single ingredient, such as salt, can totally change a situation?

 The Science Behind It:

Salt water is denser than tap water. An egg floats in salt water because it is less dense, or weights less, than the salt water in which it is submerged.

*Note: As eggs cool after being laid, an air cell which acts as a buoyancy aid forms inside the shell. If your egg floats in the tap water, get a fresh egg and try the experiment again.

Follow Up Questions:

1. Was your hypothesis supported by the results of the experiment?

2. How did the objects react when you placed them in the tap water? How did they react in the salt water? Why?

3. Before the experiment, did you think it was possible for an egg to float in water? Why or why not?

4. Read Matthew 17:14-20. How do you think the disciples felt when Jesus said faith could move a mountain?

5. When have you had to have faith in something that seemed impossible?

Source: Children’s Ministry Magazine