Supplementary Activities and Resources

Elena Chudaeva

36 Supplementary Activities and Resources

Physics in Action

To Do

Do PhET simulation ‘Under Pressure’ to describe what variables affect pressure and predict pressure in a variety of situations.

Open the simulation ‘Under Pressure’.
Get familiar with all boxes on the screen and what parameter you can change as well as what physics quantities you can measure. Pay attention to units of measurements.
Check each option on the left side of the screen. Change the density of fluids and gravity.
Observe the changes in pressure in liquids (use a manometer to measure pressure). Make note in your notebook.
In last option, identify the density of unknown liquid using measurement tools available and formulas discussed in class. Write down calculations in your notebook.

Do PhET simulation ‘Density’ to describe how the concepts of density relates to an object’s mass and volume and to identify an unknown material using the knowledge of density-related concepts.

1. Open the simulation ‘Density’.
2. Choose ‘Intro’ option at the bottom of the screen. Play around with various materials by changes parameters on the left side of the screen. Observe how change in material (density), mass, and volume affect whether an object float. Summarize your observations in the notebook.
3. Choose “Compare”. Change the parameters of experiments (top right corner), place blocks into liquid, and observe the results of experiments.
4. Make notes in your notebook about:
  - – same mass;
  - – same volume;
  - – same density.
5. Choose “Mystery”. Use scale to measure weight of a bloc and readings of volume to identify the density of unknown block. Use density table at the top of the screen. Write down calculations in your notebook.

YouTube videos with physics demonstrations and experiments

Bed of Nails

You may have seen your favourite circus performers or magicians perform the classic Bed of Nails Trick… but what is the secret?

Recall the definition of pressure.

Bottle Diver Demo

This experiment demonstrates how the change in density of an object affects its ability to float.

You’ll want to save a few plastic soda bottles to do Steve Spangler’s science experiment. All we know is that he’s asked Mark to roll up his sleeves and be prepared to get just a little wet.

Eggs and Salt Water Experiment

An egg sinks to the bottom of the glass when it is immersed in fresh – clean water. When throwing a lot of salt to the water and dissolve it in water – the egg will float on water. When the water and salt solution will have the appropriate concentration, will float an egg in half a glass. The reason for this behaviour is the density of the liquid in which the egg is submerged.