Buoyancy

About this app

Buoyancy is an interactive middle school science app for exploring why objects float or sink. Choose an object's volume and weight to compare buoyant force with weight, test how plain and very salty water change the submerged volume, and discover how reshaping the same amount of iron can turn a lump into a floating ship. Four missions in each of three tabs guide learners through nine volume-and-weight combinations, six liquid-and-weight combinations, and nine shape-and-cargo combinations.

Use cases

• Middle school students learning buoyancy, density, and forces
• Teachers demonstrating floating and sinking with a visual simulation
• Learners investigating how liquid density affects submerged depth
• Students exploring why hollow steel ships float while solid iron sinks
• Families or science clubs looking for a hands-on physics activity

Features

• Interactive Float tab for selecting volume and weight and viewing buoyant force, submerged volume, and outcome
• Liquid comparison tab with plain water and very salty water
• Ship tab comparing lump, bowl, and ship shapes with adjustable cargo
• Mission-based challenges with reset and next controls
• Numeric feedback explaining the relationship between volume, weight, liquid strength, and floating
• Visual illustrations of objects, water, forces, and cargo