National Chemistry Week - Experiments - Moved by Marbles

THE AIM:

To observe that two things cannot occupy the same space at the same time.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 clear glass
• 6 small solid objects (e.g. marbles)
• masking tape or a rubber band

WHAT TO DO:

1. Fill the glass half full with water.
2. Place the masking tape or the elastic band around the glass to mark the water level.
3. Carefully add the marbles to the glass of water.
4. Notice the change in the water level.
5. Encourage observations and questions.

Water and marbles both take up space. Since two things cannot occupy the same space at the same time, the water gets pushed out of the way by the marbles. The amount that the water rises corresponds to the volume of the marbles.