Discrepant Event Demonstration

Which Crayons Sink or Float?

Teacher Handout
Materials:
Box of crayons with paper peeled off (do not mix and match from different brands of
crayons!)
Bowl of water
Directions:
1. Fill bowl up with about 2 cups of water and ensure that crayons are peeled.
2. Take one crayon at a time and ask students if they think that color will sink or float and
ask why.
3. This activity is meant to trick students, the color of the crayon is not what makes it sink
or float, however the angle that you put it into the water will make a difference in the
outcome. For crayons that you want to sink, angle the tip downwards when it is dropped
in. For crayons that you want to float, place it gently on top of the water. Continue with
the rest of the crayons.
4. After putting multiple crayons in the water, take them out and repeat placing them in
water, this time asking students again which crayons they think will sink or float. (The
point is to throw students off to get them thinking!) Change up which crayons sink and
float to get students questioning why it has changed.
5. Ask students if they have come to any conclusions about why crayons sink or float.
6. Provide teacher explanation below.
Explanation: Water has a cohesive force between its liquid molecules that is responsible for the
phenomenon that is known as surface tension (water molecules naturally want to cling to each
other!) Surface tension is the property of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external
force (allows for objects to float on water). By placing the crayon in the water with the tip facing
downward, the crayon is breaking the surface tension of the water, and will not be able to float
on top. However, when the crayon is placed gently on top of the water without breaking the
cohesive force, it is able to float. When the object is floating on the surface of the water, the
surface under the tension will behave like an elastic membrane.
Safety: Safety considerations have been taken into account for this discrepant event.
Description of the use in an elementary classroom:
5.1

The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature
of science by planning and conducting investigations in which
d) hypotheses are formed from testable questions;
g) data are collected, recorded, analyzed, and communicated using proper graphical
representations and metric measurements;
h) predictions are made using patterns from data collected, and simple graphical data are
generated;
i) inferences are made and conclusions are drawn.

Resource Citation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3YP2MQCQRE