This double-period lab covers density and stratification, illustratin the fact that density differences can make a sharp fluid-fluid boundary. In nature, these density differences are usually due to thermal effects, but this exercise uses two sodas with density differences attributable to different amounts of dissolved solute. The lab comes to life when students get to observe the phenomenon of rotating internal waves on the density boundary between the two layers of fluid.

Downloadable WORD files:

Teacher's Guide

Student Handout