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Salt ’n Lighter
Source: NOAA National Weather Service
[21-Jul-2022] Just as air can have different densities, water can have different densities as well. As the salinity of water increases, the density increases. Students conduct a short (but egg-cellent) investigation with two different solutions of salty water using fresh eggs as floating experiments. Fresh eggs will float in saltwater, but will sink in freshwater. As the salinity of a solution (or ocean) increases, the density of that water also increases. The increased density of salty water increases the weight of water. Follow-on discussions can help students to understand the connections between dense salty water and ocean circulation, and also why ships float. A ship's physical weight is less than the weight of the water that the ship displaces when floating. For maritime enthusiasts, a ship chart is provided to show the dimensions and displacement weights of history's largest ocean-going vessels: most impressive floaters!

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