How to Make a Paper Clip Float

Objects that are more dense than water sink, while items that are less dense than water generally float. That's what we've been taught, anyway. With a few household objects, you can make a paper clip float, even though it's denser than water.

Things You'll Need

• Tissue paper (3 by 3 inches)

Instructions

1. Try to float a paper clip by gently placing it in a bowl of water. It will sink, as the density of the paper clip is greater than the density of the water.

2. Remove the paper clip from the bowl of water and dry it off completely. Place the tissue paper on top of the water with care, so it floats. If water gets on top of the tissue paper, it will sink, due to the weight of the water.

3. Gently place the paper clip on top of the tissue paper, in the center of the square. The tissue paper supports the weight of the paper clip, and will not allow it to sink.

4. Use the eraser end of a pencil to gently push the tissue paper down into the water. Push slowly, so the paper clip will not be jerked or sucked down into the water. If you push the tissue paper down slowly enough, the paper clip will float on top of the water. The surface tension created by tightly-bonded molecules now holds up the weight of the paper clip.