An interactive, browser-based tool for students to explore how mass and volume relate to density and buoyancy.
Drag objects into a water tank to see whether they float or sink — and understand why based on their density.
- 10 preset objects with real-world densities: cork, wood, ice, plastic, rubber, bone, aluminum, granite, steel, and gold
- Drag & drop objects into the water tank
- Accurate float/sink physics — floating objects show the correct percentage submerged based on Archimedes' principle
- Object Inspector — displays mass, volume, density calculation, and % submerged for each object
- Live formula panel — shows
ρ = m ÷ Vfilled in with real values - Custom object creator — students enter any mass and volume to test their own hypotheses
- Toggle labels and delete objects to keep the tank organized
- No installation or internet required — runs entirely in the browser
- Open
index.htmlin any modern web browser - Drag an object from the left panel into the water tank
- Watch it float or sink, then check the Object Inspector panel on the right
- Try the Custom Object form to test your own mass and volume combinations
- Press Delete to remove a selected object, or Clear Tank to reset
Density = Mass ÷ Volume (unit: g/cm³)
An object floats in water if its density is less than 1.0 g/cm³ (the density of water). If it's greater, it sinks.
When floating, the fraction of the object submerged equals the ratio of its density to the fluid's density — this is Archimedes' Principle.
| Object | Density (g/cm³) | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Cork | 0.24 | Floats |
| Ice | 0.917 | Floats |
| Plastic | 0.95 | Floats |
| Water | 1.000 | — |
| Aluminum | 2.70 | Sinks |
| Steel | 7.85 | Sinks |
| Gold | 19.32 | Sinks |
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