Kids Science Experiments

Design Your Own Boat

If you are getting tired of the same old, store bought plastic boats to play with, try designing your own boat.

Our Science Experiment

We are going to make a boat that floats.

What you need
very large bowl filled with water
modeling clay
pennies
paper clips

How to perform this experiment

Roll your modeling clay into a ball and drop it into the water. The clay will sink to the bottom. Retrieve your clay and try another shape that you think will float (try something flat). Test your clay in the water. When your clay floats, place a few pennies on it. When your clay finally sinks from the weight of the pennies, try reshaping it again. Test several times and make a boat that floats with many passangers (pennies and paper clips).

Watch!

The boat will float and even take on passengers when you find the right shape.

Why did it do that?

Boats float because water pushes up on them with a force equal to their weight. This is called the Archimedes Principle which shows buoyancy.

I wonder what would happen if

I wonder what would happen if I added designs to my boat?