Physics Unit 3

Unit Overview – Fluids

The big picture stuff: Students are introduced to concepts related to fluid mechanics, including Bernoulli’s principle and buoyancy in grade 8. The CA and NGSS science standards do not specifically focus on fluid dynamics in high school, however, this is a focus area for the AP Physics B exam.

Next Generation Science Standards – High School (NGSS-HS):

ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.

Core ideas: Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed.

Science and Engineering:

• Design a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.

California Science Standards: Investigation and Experimentation:

a. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (such as computer-linked probes, spreadsheets, and graphing calculators) to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships, and display data.

b. Identify and communicate sources of unavoidable experimental error.

c. Identify possible reasons for inconsistent results, such as sources of error or uncontrolled conditions.

d. Formulate explanations by using logic and evidence.