Contextualization

Physics is a science that allows us to understand how the universe works, from subatomic particles to the large structures of the universe. Within it, we have a fascinating topic called 'Fluid Conservation' that is studied in the field of fluid mechanics. Fluids are a class of substances that include liquids and gases, which have the property of flowing and adapting to the shape of the container that holds them.

In this topic, we will mainly study three fundamental principles: Pascal's Principle, Archimedes' Principle, and Bernoulli's Principle. They are used to explain everything from simple everyday situations, such as why we can drink liquids with a straw, to complex phenomena, such as the flight of airplanes.

In Pascal's Principle, we learn that a change in pressure applied to an incompressible fluid propagates equally to all points of the fluid. Archimedes' Principle shows us that an object immersed in a fluid experiences a force, called buoyancy, which is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by that object and is directed upwards. Bernoulli's Principle is used to describe the movement of a fluid, stating that, in a steady flow, an increase in the fluid's velocity occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure or a decrease in the fluid's potential energy.

Relevance

At this stage of the school life, one of our main goals is to understand how physics applies to the real world. And 'Fluid Conservation' is one of the fascinating parts of physics that apply in very practical and tangible ways in our daily lives.

Understanding these principles can be applied in various contexts, from engineering and medicine to meteorology and aeronautics. For example, Pascal's Principle is behind the operation of hydraulic brakes in cars and hydraulic presses. Archimedes' Principle is used to calculate the buoyancy of boats and ships, and Bernoulli's Principle is essential to understand how airplanes can fly.

With this knowledge, we hope that students can develop skills to understand, analyze, and solve problems involving the behavior of fluids, as well as foster curiosity and creativity to question and explore the phenomena of the world around them.

Practical Activity

Project Title: Discovering Fluid Conservation: Principles of Pascal, Archimedes, and Bernoulli

Project Objective

1. Understand the theory involved in fluid conservation.
2. Apply the principles of Pascal, Archimedes, and Bernoulli in practical activities.
3. Develop skills in teamwork, time management, and problem-solving.

Detailed Project Description

The project will be carried out in groups of 3 to 5 students and will last approximately 2 to 4 hours. Each group will perform three experiments to demonstrate each of the principles (Pascal, Archimedes, and Bernoulli) with simple materials.

Required Materials

Pascal's Principle:

• A party balloon;
• A needle;
• Adhesive tape.

Archimedes' Principle:

• A bowl of water;
• A small stone;
• A scale.

Bernoulli's Principle:

• Paper cut into strips;
• A straw.

Step by Step

Pascal's Principle:

1. Inflate the balloon and tie its mouth.
2. Place adhesive tape on a small area of the balloon.
3. Pierce the part covered by the adhesive tape.
4. Observe that the balloon does not burst, demonstrating Pascal's principle.

Archimedes' Principle:

1. Weigh the stone on a scale and record the result.
2. Place the stone in the bowl of water and observe that it displaces the water.
3. Weigh the set (stone and water) and observe that the weight increased exactly by the weight of the stone.

Bernoulli's Principle:

1. Cut the paper into strips.
2. Use the straw to blow air over the paper strip.
3. Observe that the paper strip rises when the air is blown over it, demonstrating Bernoulli's principle.

Delivery

Students must write a group report following the four main topics:

1. Introduction: Students must contextualize the theme, its relevance and application in the real world, as well as the objective of this project.
2. Development: Students must explain the theory behind the central theme of the project, explain the activity in detail, indicate the methodology used, and finally present and discuss the results obtained.
3. Conclusions: Students must summarize the main points of the project, explaining the learnings obtained and the conclusions drawn about the project.
4. Bibliography: Students must indicate the sources they relied on to work on the project, such as books, web pages, videos, etc.

The report should connect the theory learned with the practice carried out. Each experiment should have its own section in the development, explaining the relevant theory, the procedure, and the results. The conclusions should reflect the learning obtained in each experiment and how each principle applies in everyday situations.