AP Physics: Fluid Flow and Pressure
Task
Assessment Purpose Several concepts involving fluids are often unapparent to students because they are not frequently encountered in daily life, and when they are, the key physical effects (like pressure changes) are not visible or obvious. This task challenges the intuitive, yet often incorrect, assumption that fluid columns will always have the same height in a connected system like a U-tube. Narrative In this task, students: Review experimental data to infer that liquids of differing densities poured into a U-tube can end up at different heights from the bottom of the tube. Draw graphs to identify how the difference in density of the fluids involved changes the differences in their heights between the left and right arm. Develop an algebraic relationship between the amount of fluid poured in one arm to the difference in height of the two fluids, and correlate this relationship with findings from graphs. Discover how Bernoulli’s principle can further affect this difference in the height of fluid columns. Construct a quadratic model to describe how the velocity of air blowing above the liquid column causes a variation in pressure. Standard Overall, the task achieves two clearly stated goals of the AP Physics 1 curriculum: 8.4.B Describe the flow of a fluid as a result of a difference in energy between two locations within the fluid–Earth system. 8.4.A.1 A difference in pressure between two locations causes a fluid to flow. How Tuva Enhances the Lesson Through this task, Tuva allows high school students to apply several essential ideas from their AP Physics 1 course to analyze provided data and make sense of it, moving beyond simple memorization to tackle complex concepts like fluid statics and dynamics.
Newton’s Laws and the principle of energy conservation have contributed immensely to the progress of physics, whether you're analyzing the motion of a projectile, the flow of charge in an electrical circuit, or how blowing wind causes a change in pressure. Newton's Laws and conservation of energy help guide you through seemingly complex scenarios, letting you emerge with clarity and insight. In this task, we will explore how fluids in a state of rest or motion undergo changes in pressure, and how this can, in turn, lead to consequences that engineers need to plan for in the real world. ![]320
Topics and standards: Physics, Fluids, Grades 9-12, AP Sciences, AP Physics, Assessment