AP Physics
Course Description
The AP Physics 1 course is a college-level physics course to help students develop a deep understanding of the foundational principles that shape classical mechanics. By confronting complex physical situations or scenarios, the course is designed to enable students to develop the ability to reason about physical phenomena using important science practices, such as explaining relationships, applying and justifying the use of mathematical routines, designing experiments, analyzing data, and making connections across multiple topics within the course.
Course Big Ideas
- Objects and systems have properties such as mass and charge with systems having internal structure.
- The interaction between two objects is known as force.
- Fields that exist in physical space can be used to explain interactions.
- Changes that occur as a result of interactions are constrained by conservation laws.
- Mathematical models can be used to predict the behavior of objects or systems.
Course Essential Questions
- How do various phenomena manifest themselves as force?
- In what ways does force affect the motion of macroscopic objects?
- How do conservation laws explain observed phenomena?
- How do we apply mathematical models to quantify unknown quantities?
Course Competencies
- Create qualitative sketches of graphs that represent features of a model or the behavior of a physical system.
- Calculate or estimate an unknown quantity with units from known quantities, by selecting and following a logical computational pathway.
- Justify or support a claim using evidence from experimental data, physical representations, or physical principles or laws.
- Derive a symbolic expression from known quantities by selecting and following a logical mathematical pathway
Course Assessments
- Course final assessment
- Formative Assessments
- Summative Assessments
- Common Assessments
- Performance-based lab assessments
Course Units
- Unit 1: Force and Translational Motion
- Unit 2: Work, Energy, Power
- Unit 3: Linear Momentum
- Unit 4: Torque and Rotational Dynamics
- Unit 5: Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems
- Unit 6: Oscillations
- Unit 7: Fluids
Unit 1: Force and Translational Motion
- Standards
- Know
- Understanding/Key Learning
- Do
- Unit Essential Questions
- Lesson Essential Questions
- Materials/Resources
- Vocabulary
- Assessments
Standards
Know
- The magnitude of the force exerted by an ideal spring on an object is given by Hooke’s law.
- The force exerted on an object by a spring is always directed toward the equilibrium position of the object–spring system.
- The magnitude of centripetal acceleration for an object moving in a circular path is the ratio of the object’s tangential speed squared to the radius of the circular path.
- At the top of a vertical, circular loop, an object requires a minimum speed to maintain circular motion. At this point, and with this minimum speed, the gravitational force is the only force that causes the centripetal acceleration.
- Centripetal acceleration is directed toward the center of an object’s circular path.
- Components of the static friction force and the normal force can contribute to the net force producing centripetal acceleration of an object traveling in a circle on a banked surface.
- A component of tension contributes to the net force producing centripetal acceleration experienced by a conical pendulum.
- The time to complete one full circular path, one full rotation, or a full cycle of oscillatory motion is defined as a period.
- The rate at which an object is completing revolutions is defined as frequency.
Understanding/Key Learning
- An ideal spring has negligible mass and exerts a force that is proportional to the change in its length as measured from its relaxed length.
- Centripetal acceleration is the component of an object’s acceleration directed toward the center of the object’s circular path.
- Centripetal acceleration can result from a single force, more than one force, or components of forces exerted on an object in circular motion.
- Tangential acceleration is the rate at which an object’s speed changes and is directed tangent to the object’s circular path.
- The net acceleration of an object moving in a circle is the vector sum of the centripetal acceleration and tangential acceleration.
- The revolution of an object traveling in a circular path at a constant speed (uniform circular motion)
- For a satellite in circular orbit around a central body, the satellite’s centripetal acceleration is caused only by gravitational attraction. The period and radius of the circular orbit are related to the mass of the central body. motion) can be described using period and frequency.
Do
- Given a translational dynamics situation, discern the given information to select appropriate mathematical models to solve for desired quantities.
- Draw appropriate vectors to represent the understanding of forces that apply to a situation.
- Draw a force diagram (FBD) to represent non-negligible forces action on an object for a given translational dynamics situation.
- Explain a dynamics situation using translational dynamics vocabulary terms.
- Identify appropriate graphs used in translational dynamics situations and quantify information using graphical techniques.
Unit Essential Questions
Lesson Essential Questions
- What is Hooke’s Law?
- How do springs do work?
- How do we use a force vs position graph to quantify work?
- How can we quantify the amount of work done in a system containing a spring?
- What is the best way to negotiate an icy corner when driving a car?
- Do you really need to wear the restraints on a roller coaster that goes around a loop?
- What are different types of accelerations and why do they occur?
Materials/Resources
Vocabulary
Assessments
Unit 2: Work, Energy, Power
- Standards
- Know
- Understanding/Key Learning
- Do
- Unit Essential Questions
- Lesson Essential Questions
- Materials/Resources
- Vocabulary
- Assessments
Standards
From College Board AP Physics 1: Algebra Based revision 2024
- 3.3.A Describe the potential energy of a system.
- 3.4.A Describe the energies present in a system.
- 3.4.B Describe the behavior of a system using conservation of mechanical energy principles.
- 3.4.C Describe how the selection of a system determines whether the energy of that system changes.
Know
- The definition of zero potential energy for a given system is a decision made by the observer considering the situation to simplify or otherwise assist in analysis.
- The elastic potential energy of an ideal spring is given by the following equation, where ∆x is the distance the spring has been stretched or compressed from its equilibrium length.
- The general form for the gravitational potential energy of a system consisting of two approximately spherical distributions of mass (e.g., moons, planets or stars) is mathematically represented with a formula.
- Because the gravitational field near the surface of a planet is nearly constant, the change in gravitational potential energy in a system consisting of an object with mass m and a planet with gravitational field of magnitude g when the object is near the surface of the planet may be approximated by mathematically represented with a formula.
- A system composed of only a single object can only have kinetic energy.
- Mechanical energy is the sum of a system’s kinetic and potential energies.
- If the work done on a selected system is zero and there are no nonconservative interactions within the system, the total mechanical energy of the system is constant.
- If the work done on a selected system is nonzero, energy is transferred between the system and the environment.
Understanding/Key Learning
- A system composed of two or more objects has potential energy if the objects within that system only interact with each other through conservative forces.
- Potential energy is a scalar quantity associated with the position of objects within a system.
- The potential energy of common physical systems can be described using the physical properties of that system.
- The total potential energy of a system containing more than two objects is the sum of the potential energy of each pair of objects within the system.
- A system that contains objects that interact via conservative forces or that can change its shape reversibly may have both kinetic and potential energies.
- Any change to a type of energy within a system must be balanced by an equivalent change of other types of energies within the system or by a transfer of energy between the system and its surroundings.
- A system may be selected so that the total energy of that system is constant.
- If the total energy of a system changes, that change will be equivalent to the energy transferred into or out of the system.
- Energy is conserved in all interactions.
Do
- Given an energy situation, discern the given information to select appropriate mathematical models to solve for desired quantities.
- Use graphical means to represent the distribution of energy within a system
- Draw a force diagram (FBD) to represent non-negligible forces action on an object for a given energy situation.
- Explain an energy situation using energy vocabulary terms.
- Identify appropriate graphs used in energy situations and quantify information using graphical techniques.
- Determine if a system is open or closed based on the forces doing work on the system.
Unit Essential Questions
Lesson Essential Questions
- How can we define a system?
- How can we account for the energy contained in a system?
- How can we account for the energy transfer into/out of a system?How does a spring store and release energy?
- Why is the U = mgh not really gravitational potential energy?
- How much energy do masses have when they are really far apart?
- How do we quantify the amount of energy in a system using graphs?
- What is a closed system?
- What is an open system?
- Is a human an open or closed system?
- Is the Earth an open or closed system?
Materials/Resources
Vocabulary
Assessments
Unit 3: Linear Momentum
- Standards
- Know
- Understanding/Key Learning
- Do
- Unit Essential Questions
- Lesson Essential Questions
- Materials/Resources
- Vocabulary
- Assessments
Standards
From College Board AP Physics 1: Algebra Based revision 2024
- 4.2.A Describe the impulse delivered to an object or system.
- 4.2.B Describe the relationship between the impulse exerted on an object or a system and the change in momentum of the object or system.
- 4.3.A Describe the behavior of a system using conservation of linear momentum.
- 4.3.B Describe how the selection of a system determines whether the momentum of that system changes.
- 4.4.A Describe whether an interaction between objects is elastic or inelastic
Know
- Impulse is a vector quantity and has the same direction as the net force exerted on the system.
- The impulse delivered to a system by a net external force is equal to the area under the curve of a graph of the net external force exerted on the system as a function of time.
- The net external force exerted on a system is equal to the slope of a graph of the momentum of the system as a function of time.
- Newton’s second law of motion is a direct result of the impulse–momentum theorem applied to systems with constant mass.
- The velocity of a system’s center of mass is constant in the absence of a net external force.
- The impulse exerted by one object on a second object is equal and opposite to the impulse exerted by the second object on the first. This is a direct result of Newton’s third law.
- A system may be selected so that the total momentum of that system is constant.
- If the total momentum of a system changes, that change will be equivalent to the impulse exerted on the system.
- In an elastic collision, the final kinetic energies of each of the objects within the system may be different from their initial kinetic energies.
- An inelastic collision between objects is one in which the total kinetic energy of the system decreases.
- In an inelastic collision, some of the initial kinetic energy is not restored to kinetic energy but is transformed by nonconservative forces into other forms of energy.
- In a perfectly inelastic collision, the objects stick together and move with the same velocity after the collision.
Understanding/Key Learning
- The rate of change of momentum is equal to the net external force exerted on an object or system.
- Impulse is defined as the product of the average force exerted on a system and the time interval during which that force is exerted on the system.
- Change in momentum is the difference between a system’s final momentum and its initial momentum.
- The impulse–momentum theorem relates the impulse exerted on a system and the system’s change in momentum.
- A collection of objects with individual momenta can be described as one system with one center-of-mass velocity.
- The total momentum of a system is the sum of the momenta of the system’s constituent parts.
- In the absence of net external forces, any change to the momentum of an object within a system must be balanced by an equivalent and opposite change of momentum elsewhere within the system. Any change to the momentum of a system is due to a transfer of momentum between the system and its surroundings.
- Correct application of conservation of momentum can be used to determine the velocity of a system immediately before and immediately after collisions or explosions.
- Momentum is conserved in all interactions.
- An elastic collision between objects is one in which the initial kinetic energy of the system is equal to the final kinetic energy of the system.
Do
- Given a momentum situation, discern the given information to select appropriate mathematical models to solve for desired quantities.
- Draw a force diagram (FBD) to represent non-negligible forces action on an object for a given energy situation.
- Explain a momentum situation using energy vocabulary terms.
- Identify appropriate graphs used in momentum situations and quantify information using graphical techniques.
- Determine if collisions are elastic, inelastic, or perfectly inelastic based on the energy distribution in a colliding system.
Unit Essential Questions
- How is the physics definition of momentum different from how momentum is used to describe things in everyday life?
- Can a person on an elevator that breaks loose and falls to the ground avoid harm by jumping at the last second?
- Why will a water balloon break when thrown on the pavement, but not break if caught carefully?
- Why is it important that cars are designed to include crumple zones?
Lesson Essential Questions
- What is translational momentum?
- How does impulse change the momentum of a system?
- How did Newton actually write his 2nd law of motion?
- How does momentum of a system change when internal forces are involved?
- How does momentum of a system change when external forces are involved?
- How can we quantify change of momentum from a graph?
- How do we find the center of mass for a system of particles?
- In what types of collisions is momentum conserved?
- In what types of collisions is energy conserved?
Materials/Resources
Vocabulary
Assessments
Unit 4: Torque and Rotational Dynamics
- Standards
- Know
- Understanding/Key Learning
- Do
- Unit Essential Questions
- Lesson Essential Questions
- Materials/Resources
- Vocabulary
- Assesments
Standards
From College Board AP Physics 1: Algebra Based revision 2024
- 5.1.A Describe the rotation of a system with respect to time using angular displacement, angular velocity, and angular acceleration.
- 5.2.A Describe the linear motion of a point on a rotating rigid system that corresponds to the rotational motion of that point, and vice versa.
- 5.3.A Identify the torques exerted on a rigid system.
- 5.3.B Describe the torques exerted on a rigid system.
- 5.4.A Describe the rotational inertia of a rigid system relative to a given axis of rotation.
- 5.4.B Describe the rotational inertia of a rigid system rotating about an axis that does not pass through the system’s center of mass.
- 5.5.A Describe the conditions under which a system’s angular velocity remains constant.
- 5.6.A Describe the conditions under which a system’s angular velocity changes.
Know
- A rigid system is one that holds its shape but in which different points on the system move in different directions during rotation. A rigid system cannot be modeled as an object.
- One direction of angular displacement about an axis of rotation—clockwise or counterclockwise—is typically indicated as mathematically positive, with the other direction becoming mathematically negative.
- If the rotation of a system about an axis may be well described using the motion of the system’s center of mass, the system may be treated as a single object. For example, the rotation of Earth about its axis may be considered negligible when considering the revolution of Earth about the center of mass of the Earth–Sun system.
- Graphs of angular displacement, angular velocity, and angular acceleration as functions of time can be used to find the relationships between those quantities.
- For a point at a distance r from a fixed axis of rotation, the linear distance s traveled by the point as the system rotates through an angle ∆θ is given by an equation.
- Derived relationships of linear velocity and of the tangential component of acceleration to their respective angular quantities are given by equations.
- Force diagrams are similar to free-body diagrams and are used to analyze the torques exerted on a rigid system.
- Similar to free-body diagrams, force diagrams represent the relative magnitude and direction of the forces exerted on a rigid system. Force diagrams also depict the location at which those forces are exerted relative to the axis of rotation.
- The magnitude of the torque exerted on a rigid system by a force is described by an equation, where θ is the angle between the force vector and the position vector from the axis of rotation to the point of application of the force.
- The parallel axis theorem uses an equation to relate the rotational inertia of a rigid system about any axis that is parallel to an axis through its center of mass.
- The rotational inertia of an object rotating a perpendicular distance r from an axis is described mathematically with a formula.
- Rotational equilibrium is a configuration of torques such that the net torque exerted on the system is zero.
- The rotational analog of Newton’s first law is that a system will have a constant angular velocity only if the net torque exerted on the system is zero.
Understanding/Key Learning
- Angular displacement is the measurement of the angle, in radians, through which a point on a rigid system rotates about a specified axis.
- Average angular velocity is the average rate at which angular position changes with respect to time.
- Average angular acceleration is the average rate at which the angular velocity changes with respect to time.
- Angular displacement, angular velocity, and angular acceleration around one axis are analogous to linear displacement, velocity, and acceleration in one dimension and demonstrate the same mathematical relationships.
- For a rigid system, all points within that system have the same angular velocity and angular acceleration.
- Torque results only from the force component perpendicular to the position vector from the axis of rotation to the point of application of the force.
- The lever arm is the perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation to the line of action of the exerted force.
- Rotational inertia measures a rigid system’s resistance to changes in rotation and is related to the mass of the system and the distribution of that mass relative to the axis of rotation.
- A rigid system’s rotational inertia in a given plane is at a minimum when the rotational axis passes through the system’s center of mass.
- A system may exhibit rotational equilibrium (constant angular velocity) without being in translational equilibrium, and vice versa.
- A rotational corollary to Newton’s second law states that if the torques exerted on a rigid system are not balanced, the system’s angular velocity must be changing.
- To fully describe a rotating rigid system, linear and rotational analyses may need to be performed independently.
Do
- Given a rotational dynamics situation, discern the given information to select appropriate mathematical models to solve for desired quantities.
- Draw appropriate vectors to represent the understanding of forces that apply to a situation.
- Draw a rigid body diagram to represent non-negligible forces action on an object for a given rotational dynamics situation
- Explain a rotational dynamics situation using rotational dynamics vocabulary terms
- Identify appropriate graphs used in rotational dynamics situations and quantify information using graphical techniques
Unit Essential Questions
Lesson Essential Questions
Materials/Resources
Vocabulary
Assesments
Unit 5: Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems
- Standards
- Know
- Understanding/Key Learning
- Do
- Unit Essential Questions
- Lesson Essential Questions
- Materials/Resources
- Vocabulary
- Assessments
Standards
From College Board AP Physics 1: Algebra Based revision 2024
- 6.1.A Describe the rotational kinetic energy of a rigid system in terms of the rotational inertia and angular velocity of that rigid system.
- 6.2.A Describe the work done on a rigid system by a given torque or collection of torques.
- 6.3.A Describe the angular momentum of an object or rigid system.
- 6.3.B Describe the angular impulse delivered to an object or rigid system by a torque.
- 6.3.C Relate the change in angular momentum of an object or rigid system to the angular impulse given to that object or rigid system.
- 6.4.A Describe the behavior of a system using conservation of angular momentum.
- 6.4.B Describe how the selection of a system determines whether the angular momentum of that system changes.
- 6.5.A Describe the kinetic energy of a system that has translational and rotational motion.
- 6.5.B Describe the motion of a system that is rolling without slipping.
- 6.6.A Describe the motions of a system consisting of two objects interacting only via gravitational forces.
Know
- The rotational kinetic energy of an object or rigid system is related to the rotational inertia and angular velocity of the rigid system mathematically with a formula.
- The amount of work done on a rigid system by a torque is related to the magnitude of that torque and the angular displacement through which the rigid system rotates during the interval in which that torque is exerted.
- Work done on a rigid system by a given torque can be found from the area under the curve of a graph of torque as a function of angular position.
- The magnitude of the angular momentum of a rigid system about a specific axis can be described mathematically with a formula.
- The magnitude of the angular momentum of an object about a given point can be described mathematically with a formula.
- Angular impulse is defined as the product of the torque exerted on an object or rigid system and the time interval during which the torque is exerted.
- Angular impulse has the same direction as the torque exerted on the object or system.
- The angular impulse delivered to an object or rigid system by a torque can be found from the area under the curve of a graph of the torque as a function of time.
- The magnitude of the change in angular momentum can be described by comparing the magnitudes of the final and initial angular momenta of the object or rigid system.
- The net torque exerted on an object is equal to the slope of the graph of the angular momentum of an object as a function of time.
- The angular impulse delivered to an object is equal to the area under the curve of a graph of the net external torque exerted on an object as a function of time.
- The angular impulse exerted by one object or system on a second object or system is equal and opposite to the angular impulse exerted by the second object or system on the first. This is a direct result of Newton’s third law.
- A system may be selected so that the total angular momentum of that system is constant.
- The angular speed of a nonrigid system may change without the angular momentum of the system changing if the system changes shape by moving mass closer to or further from the rotational axis.
- If the net external torque exerted on a selected object or rigid system is zero, the total angular momentum of that system is constant.
- If the net external torque exerted on a selected object or rigid system is nonzero, angular momentum is transferred between the system and the environment.
- For ideal cases, rolling without slipping implies that the frictional force does not dissipate any energy from the rolling system.
- When slipping, the motion of a system’s center of mass and the system’s rotational motion cannot be directly related.
- When a rotating system is slipping relative to another surface, the point of application of the force of kinetic friction exerted on the system moves with respect to the surface, so the force of kinetic friction will dissipate energy from the system.
- In circular orbits, the system’s total mechanical energy, the system’s gravitational potential energy, and the satellite’s angular momentum and kinetic energy are constant.
- In elliptical orbits, the system’s total mechanical energy and the satellite’s angular momentum are constant, but the system’s gravitational potential energy and the satellite’s kinetic energy can each change.
Understanding/Key Learning
- A rigid system can have rotational kinetic energy while its center of mass is at rest due to the individual points within the rigid system having linear speed and, therefore, kinetic energy.
- Rotational kinetic energy is a scalar quantity.
- A torque can transfer energy into or out of an object or rigid system if the torque is exerted over an angular displacement.
- The selection of the axis about which an object is considered to rotate influences the determination of the angular momentum of that object.
- The measured angular momentum of an object traveling in a straight line depends on the distance between the reference point and the object, the mass of the object, the speed of the object, and the angle between the radial distance and the velocity of the object.
- A rotational form of the impulse–momentum theorem relates the angular impulse delivered to an object or rigid system and the change in angular momentum of that object or rigid system.
- The total angular momentum of a system about a rotational axis is the sum of the angular momenta of the system’s constituent parts about that axis.
- Any change to a system’s angular momentum must be due to an interaction between the system and its surroundings.
- The total kinetic energy of a system is the sum of the system’s translational and rotational kinetic energies.
- In a system consisting only of a massive central object and an orbiting satellite with mass that is negligible in comparison to the central object’s mass, the motion of the central object itself is negligible.
- The motion of satellites in orbits is constrained by conservation laws.
- The escape velocity of a satellite is the satellite’s velocity such that the mechanical energy of the satellite–central-object system is equal to zero.
Do
- Given a rotational energy/momentum situation, discern the given information to select appropriate mathematical models to solve for desired quantities.
- Draw appropriate vectors to represent the understanding of forces that apply to a situation.
- Draw a force diagram (FBD) to represent non-negligible forces action on an object for a given dynamics situation
- Explain a rotational energy/momentum situation using rotational energy/momentum vocabulary terms.
- Identify appropriate graphs used in rotational energy/momentum situations and quantify information using graphical techniques.
Unit Essential Questions
Lesson Essential Questions
- How can an object have kinetic energy even though it is stationary?
- How do translational quantities compare to rotational quantities?
- How does torque change the energy of a system?
- How do satellites move?
- How can a point particle have rotational momentum?
- What is angular momentum?
- What are the implications of changing mass distribution in a rotational system?
- Why do most of the objects in the solar system revolve around a sun that rotates in the same direction?
- How can the length of a day change on planet Earth?
Materials/Resources
Vocabulary
Assessments
Unit 6: Oscillations
- Standards
- Know
- Understanding/Key Learning
- Do
- Unit Essential Questions
- Lesson Essential Questions
- Materials/Resources
- Vocabulary
- Assessments
Standards
From College Board AP Physics 1: Algebra Based revision 2024
- 7.1.A Describe simple harmonic motion.
- 7.2.A Describe the frequency and period of an object exhibiting SHM.
- 7.3.A Describe the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of an object exhibiting SHM.
- 7.4.A Describe the mechanical energy of a system exhibiting SHM.
Know
- A restoring force is a force that is exerted in a direction opposite to the object’s displacement from an equilibrium position.
- SHM results when the magnitude of the restoring force exerted on an object is proportional to that object’s displacement from its equilibrium position.
- An equilibrium position is a location at which the net force exerted on an object or system is zero.
- The motion of a pendulum with a small angular displacement can be modeled as simple harmonic motion because the restoring torque is proportional to the angular displacement.
- Properties of SHM can be determined and analyzed using graphical representations.
- The potential energy of a system exhibiting SHM is at a maximum when the system’s kinetic energy is at a minimum.
- The minimum kinetic energy of a system exhibiting SHM is zero.
- Changing the amplitude of a system exhibiting SHM will change the maximum potential energy of the system and, therefore, the total energy of the system.
Understanding/Key Learning
- Simple harmonic motion is a special case of periodic motion.
- Minima, maxima, and zeros of displacement, velocity, and acceleration are features of harmonic motion.
- Changing the amplitude of a system exhibiting SHM will not change the period of that system.
- The total energy of a system exhibiting SHM is the sum of the system’s kinetic and potential energies.
- Conservation of energy indicates that the total energy of a system exhibiting SHM is constant
Do
- Given a oscillating system situation, discern the given information to select appropriate mathematical models to solve for desired quantities,
- Draw appropriate vectors to represent the understanding of forces that apply to a situation.
- Draw a force diagram (FBD) to represent non-negligible forces action on an object for a given oscillating system situation.
- Explain an oscillating system situation using translational oscillating system vocabulary terms.
- Identify appropriate graphs used in oscillating system situations and quantify information using graphical techniques.
- Identify the criteria necessary for a system to be undergoing simple harmonic motion.
Unit Essential Questions
Lesson Essential Questions
Materials/Resources
Vocabulary
Assessments
Unit 7: Fluids
- Standards
- Know
- Understanding/Key Learning
- Do
- Unit Essential Questions
- Lesson Essential Questions
- Materials/Resources
- Vocabulary
- Assessments
Standards
From College Board AP Physics 1: Algebra Based revision 2024
- 8.1.A Describe the properties of a fluid.
- 8.2.A Describe the pressure exerted on a surface by a given force.
- 8.2.B Describe the pressure exerted by a fluid.
- 8.3.A Describe the conditions under which a fluid’s velocity changes.
- 8.3.B Describe the buoyant force exerted on an object interacting with a fluid.
- 8.4.A Describe the flow of an incompressible fluid through a cross-sectional area by using mass conservation.
- 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.
Know
- The rate at which matter enters a fluid-filled tube open at both ends must equal the rate at which matter exits the tube.
- The rate at which matter flows into a location is proportional to the cross sectional area of the flow and the speed at which the fluid flows.
- The continuity equation for fluid flow describes conservation of mass flow rate in incompressible fluids.
- Bernoulli’s equation describes the conservation of mechanical energy in fluid flow.
- Torricelli’s theorem relates the speed of a fluid exiting an opening to the difference in height between the opening and the top surface of the fluid and can be derived from conservation of energy principles.
Understanding/Key Learning
Do
- Given a fluid’s situation, discern the given information to select appropriate mathematical models to solve for desired quantities.
- Draw appropriate vectors to represent the understanding of the forces that apply to a fluid’s situation
- Explain a fluid’s situation using fluid’s vocabulary terms.
- Apply understanding of conservation of energy to fluid’s situations.
Unit Essential Questions
Lesson Essential Questions
- How does the internal interactions between atoms affect the properties of solids, liquids, and gasses?
- Why is density a defining property of matter?
- What is an ideal fluid?
- Why do our ears pop when going up a mountain?
- Why are water towers used sometimes?
- Where should you build your house if you want the strongest shower?
- Why is blood pressure measured on the upper arm?