Pippa Crews_ Cartesian Diver Lab Report  (1 point)

Objective (2 points)
In your own words, what was the purpose of this lab?
The main purpose of this lab was a demonstration of buoyancy to see how it affects life in the ocean.

Hypothesis and Variables (3 points)

Write your hypothesis in the if/then format shown in the procedures and identify the independent and
dependent variables.
Hypothesis: If the pressure of the water increases, then the diver’s buoyancy levels will increase.
 (Example: If the pressure increases, then the diver will sink/float.)
Independent variable: pressure inflicted on the bottle
Dependent variable: buoyancy of Cartesian diver aka condiment pack

Procedures (6 points)
Explain your steps, including which type of Cartesian diver you made. If you took pictures, you may add
them here (optional).
I followed the procedures of the lab which included filling a 2-liter bottle and placing the Cartesian diver
inside. For this experiment, I made one from an empty condiment pouch. Then I measured the buoyancy of the
diver using a tape measure in centimeters after squeezing the bottle using different amounts of pressure. I did this
ten times: five with light pressure and five with a much harder pressure on the bottle to make I had enough data for
the experiment..

Data (6 points)
This is a sample data table. You may add to it or make your own.

Pressure Depth (cm)

Neutral (starting position)  3

Small increase (lightly squeezing bottle)  17, 15, 12, 14, 17

Large increase (strongly squeezing bottle)  22, 20, 19, 21, 25

Conclusion (12 points)
Please write in complete sentences.
 1. Was your hypothesis supported by your observations? Explain why.

My hypothesis was correct because when I did the experiment, I noticed that the diver floated
more when I squeezed the bottle at a higher pressure.

2. Identify any experimental errors.

I accidentally filled the bottle with too much water and the diver couldn’t float at all. I had to do the
experiment several times over.

3. You observed the effect of pressure on the buoyancy of the Cartesian diver. What is a
different variable that you could change the next time you repeat this experiment and that
might also affect the buoyancy of the diver?

I could redesign the Cartesian diver and not use a condiment pack. I found that while plastic does float,
the material is not of good quality and the experiment may not have been as accurate as it could’ve been, but it
was all I had, and I didn’t have any of the other materials listed for the lab.

4. How does this experiment relate to what you've learned about submersible technology such
as submarines and ROVs?

This relates to submarines and ROVs in that they would work in a similar manner the
Cartesian diver did in the experiment in relation to pressure and buoyancy.