Salt Density Experiment

 Why is it easier to float in Great Salt Lake then it is to float in the Ocean? Does it have anything to do with the density or the salt content?

What You Will Need:

1 cup of tap Water
1 cup of “ocean water” to make use 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt & 1 cup of hot water can be mix it up until salt dissolves.
1 cup of salt water from your Great Salt Lake visit or mix your own with 4 1/2 Tablespoons of salt & 1 cup of hot water
3 cups labeled:  Fresh Water, Ocean Water, Great Salt Lake Water
3 fresh eggs

*Use clear cups when doing this experiment to be able to see what the eggs do!

Instructions:

Make your water samples and be sure to label them

Observe what happens when you place an egg in each cup

1.     Place an egg in the fresh water cup; watch it as it moves towards the bottom.  Does it sink fast or slow? Write down what you see.

2.    Gently place the egg into the Ocean water cup. Watch the egg carefully did it sink faster or slower than the last? Did it sink as deep as the egg in fresh water? Write down what you see.

3.    Last place an egg in the cup of Great Salt Lake water. Watch your egg carefully does it sink or does it float? Why is this egg different than the rest? Why do you think it is doing what it is doing?

Conclusion:

The different amounts of salt contained in each water sample affect the density of the water. The more salt there is in the water, the easier it is for the egg to float because the salt helps "push" the egg up. That's why the egg in the Great Salt Lake water floated much higher in the water than the eggs in the other two samples. The same thing happens to you when you go swimming in Great Salt Lake! The water is so dense with salt that it resists letting you sink. That is something you can tell your friends the next time you go swimming in Great Salt Lake!