This is an awesome science experiment for young kids and older ones too! How many paper clips can you fit in a glass of water? The answer might surprise you! We have tons of fun and easy science experiments for you to try!
HOW MANY PAPER CLIPS CAN FIT IN A GLASS OF WATER?
PAPER CLIP CHALLENGE
Get your kids thinking with this fun and easy paper clip experiment. Science & STEM don’t need to be complicated or expensive!
Some of the best science activities are also the cheapest! Keep it fun and playful, and not make it too difficult that it takes forever to complete. All you need for this challenge below are paperclips, a drinking glass, and water.
How many paper clips can fit in a glass of water? Let’s find out!
SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS FOR KIDS
Science learning starts early, and you can be a part of that by setting up science at home with everyday materials. Or you can bring easy science experiments to a group of kids in the classroom!
We find a ton of value in cheap science activities and experiments. All our science experiments use inexpensive, everyday materials you can find at home or source from your local dollar store.
We even have a whole list of physics experiments for kids, using basic everyday supplies you are sure to have.
You can set up your science experiments as an activity focusing on exploration and discovery. Make sure to ask kids questions at each step, discuss what is happening and talk about the science behind it.
Alternatively, you can introduce the scientific method, get kids to record their observations, and make conclusions. Read more about the scientific method for kids to help you get started.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR PRINTABLE PAPERCLIP EXPERIMENT
PAPERCLIPS IN WATER EXPERIMENT
Have leftover paper clips? Try our floating paper clip experiment or paper clip chain STEM challenge!
SUPPLIES:
- Glass
- Water
- Box of Paper clips
INSTRUCTIONS:
STEP 1: Fill a glass with water as full as you can, without spilling any out. Make sure to discuss how many paper clips kids predict will fit in the glass.
STEP 2: Now add the paper clips, one at a time. Make sure to count them as you put them in.
What do you notice happens to the water?
STEP 3: Continue adding more paper clips until finally, the water begins to spill over the edge.
Did the water behave the way you thought it would? How many paper clips did it take to push the water out?
No water spilled out? Why not repeat the experiment using a smaller glass. Read on to find out why so many paper clips can fit in a glass of water.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Were you surprised to discover that a lot more paper clips would fit in the glass than you predicted?
Surface tension and cohesion is the reason you can get so many paper clips in the glass without it spilling. Cohesion is the “stickiness” of like molecules to one another. Water molecules love to stick together! Learn more about surface tension.
Surface tension is the result of all the water molecules sticking together. Once the water has reached the top of the glass, a dome shape begins to form. This is due to the surface tension forming a shape that has the least amount of surface area possible (like bubbles)!
MORE FUN SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS
Make water rise by burning a candle under a jar.
Create a dry erase drawing and watch it float in water.
What happens to the freezing point of water when you add salt?
Add an egg to vinegar.
Make a star out of broken toothpicks by only adding water.
SIMPLE PAPER CLIP EXPERIMENT FOR KIDS SCIENCE
Click on the image below or on the link for tons more easy kids science experiments.
