Sinking Can Experiment

[Chris Evans]

I have a science project where I have to take an empty soda can and come up with a solution to make it sink in a basin of water in exactly 60 seconds. The entire can must be immersed at exactly the 60 second mark. A second before or a second later than 60 seconds and my grade for this project will go down substantially. Any ideas on how to accomplish this task would be greatly appreciated.

[klkurucz]

I have a science project where I have to take an empty soda can and come up with a solution to make it sink in a basin of water in exactly 60 seconds. The entire can must be immersed at exactly the 60 second mark. A second before or a second later than 60 seconds and my grade for this project will go down substantially. Any ideas on how to accomplish this task would be greatly appreciated.

Chris,
Do you get to practice your method or do you have to calculate how much weight it takes to sink the can? Is the primary reason for this project to determine density and displacement that make a can sink or float, or to build a system that will sink a can in precisely 60 seconds?

For example, can you fill a turkey baster with enough water to sink the can and simply pour it in the can in 60 seconds using a stop watch, or do you need to know ahead of time exactly how to sink it?

[Chris Evans]

Kraig,

I have to have the can totally immersed in precisely 60 seconds. I can alter the can any way I want to and fill it with whatever I like. I have to do this before the can touches the water. Once the can is in the water I can't do anything else to it. The timer starts as soon as the can touches the water. I can practice as much as I would like at home but the 60 second goal for having the can completely immersed is what I am trying to accomplish. Thanks for your input.
Chris Evans

[klkurucz]

Chris, I don't have any experience sinking cans in one minute. So I think you are going to have to try a few things and make some observations so you can perfect the 60 second sinking.

Keep a chart of how long it takes to sink each time. Carefully make a few small holes around the can. See if it will sink and how long it takes. Change only one variable at a time. If it sinks too fast, cover some of the holes and try again. If it sinks too slow, try making the hoels bigger or try adding a few pennies first.

Use the scientific method. Make a guess at what you think will happen to the sinking time if you add more coins to the can. Then try it and see how close your guess was. Then make more changes to get a repeatable result around 60 seconds.

If adding weight does not work, then try something else, such as making bigger holes. If this makes the can sink faster, try it again until you are around 60 seconds

Good luck. Please post again to say how it is going.

[Chris Evans]

Kraig,

Thanks for your input.

Regards,
Chris Evans