Hydrodynamics: Bernoulli’s principle

4th year physics (SEDP)

I. Objectives

After a set of activities and lecture, the 4th year students should be able to:

 Comprehend that air pressure decreases as the speed of air increases.

 Prove that air pressure acts in all directions (not just down).
 Recognize that engineers use their understanding of pressure differences to make
airplanes fly;
 Explain and site examples involving Bernoulli’s principle; and
 develop cooperation and teamwork through group activities and peer-discussion.

II. Subject matter

A. Topic: Hydrodynamics: Bernoulli’s principle
B. Materials: laptop, projector, sheet of paper, 2 round balloons, 2 pieces of string (18”) 2
small plastic cups, 2 straws, 1 ping pong ball, water.
C. Time allotment: 60 minutes
D. Scientific Attributes/Values infusion: students are encouraged to develop attributes such
as scientific curiosity, skepticism, scientific appreciation and productive interpersonal
communication skills.
E. Reference/s:
 Navaza, Delia Cordero et. al. (1990). You and the Natural World Series: Science and
Technology IV-Physics. Phoenix Publishing House, Inc. Quezon Avenue, Quezon
City. Pp. 168
 Rutkowski, Tom et. al. (2004). Teach Engineering, Integrated Teaching and Learning
Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder retrieved in
2013 from http://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?
url=collection/cub_/activities
/cub_airplanes/cub_airplanes_lesson01_activity1.xml
F. Scientific Ideas:
 In fluids, pressure decreases as the speed increases.
 In fluids, pressure acts in all direction.
  Bernoulli’s principle was named after the discoverer Daniel Bernoulli which states
that states that the total energy in a steadily flowing fluid system is a constant along
the flow path. An increase in the fluid’s speed must therefore be matched by a
decrease in its pressure.
 Bernoulli’s principle does not apply to system without a net force.

III. Procedure

Teacher Activity Student Activity

A. Routine
Good morning class! Quietly go back to your Good morning sir!
proper seats and arrange your chairs.

Is there someone absent?

None sir!
Okay let us start the class.
B. Review
We have learned about hydrodynamics and the
characteristics of fluid flow.

Which fluid flow has smooth and coherent Laminar flow or stream line.
characteristics?
Temperature is the measure of coldness or
hotness meaning is measures the average
Correct, now there is a phenomenon that
kinetic energy of an object while heat is simple
occurs within objects which make them fly,
a form of energy that makes an object
curve or change in direction.
become ,either a gain or loss of heat, warm or
Let us know what this is.
cold.
C. Motivation
Have you ever wondered how a soccer ball
curves at it hurls across the field? What makes
a plane fly considering that it is too
heavy/dense to float like a hot air balloon?

The reasons can be found in Bernoulli's

Principle, which states that the faster a fluid
moves the less pressure it exerts. Bernoulli's
Principle tells us that differences in velocity
mean there are differences in pressure as well.
Engineers use their understanding of pressure
differences to make airplanes fly.
Comprehend that air pressure decreases as the
[post objectives and discuss briefly] speed of air increases.
Prove that air pressure acts in all directions
(not just down).
Recognize that engineers use their
understanding of pressure differences to make
airplanes fly;
Explain and site examples involving
Bernoulli’s principle
D. Activity proper
Class I’d like you to group yourselves into four
[students group themselves]
groups.

Get a copy of the BFF worksheet and run down

through different work stations.

Station A is the paper tent activity.

Station B is the swinging balloons.
Station C is the magic ball.
Station D I the Bernoulli’s water gun.

Let us begin to work on the stations.

Paper tent. Fold the paper lengthwise in half [students make predictions]
and make a tent. Now, predict what will
happen if you blow into the tent. Will it appear
to get larger, will it remain unchanged, or will
it bend down toward the table?
It will flatten out. the tent will close in.
After predicting conduct the investigation and
answer the worksheet.
[students make predictions]
Swinging balloons. Here are two balloons
hung over and are 4-6 inches apart. Or you
may just hang it yourselves. Make sure there is
a space between each balloon. Now, predict
what will happen if you blow between the
balloons.

After predicting conduct the investigation and The balloons will come closer with each other.
fill up the data in the worksheet.

Magic ball. Here there are two cups that are 6 [students make guesses and try them out]
inches apart. One has a ping pong ball inside.
Now predict how can you transfer the ping
pong ball into the other cup without touching
any of the cups or the ball itself. Try out your
ideas.
Now, try to blow gently across the top of the [students perform the activity correctly]
cup with a ping pong ball and see how the ping
pong ball jumps from one cup to the other.
This is because the air pressure moving across
Try to explain how the ping pong ball was able the top of the cup is less than the pressure
to move. inside the cup. The higher pressure inside the
cup forces the ping pong ball to jump out of
the cup.

[students experiment on the cups]

Try to see if you can make the ping pong ball
reach longer distances with the two cups.

Bernoulli’s water gun. Here is a cup of water.

Put one straw into the cup and cut the other [students make predictions]
straw so it can be your blower. Try to predict
what happens when you blow across the top of
the straw in water with your blower.
The water should rise up in the first straw and
Conduct the investigation and fill up the data in blow across their table. This happens because
the worksheet. the air blowing across the straw in the cup
reduces the air pressure at that point. The
normal pressure underneath pulls the water up
the straw and the moving air blows the water
out and across the room.

Now I would like each group to choose one of

the stations in which they will discuss the
result of the investigation. [students discuss the activity]

All of the investigations are evidences of

Daniel Bernoulli’s discovery that is—
Bernoulli’s principle. It states that the total
energy in a steadily flowing fluid system is a
constant along the flow path. An increase in
the fluid’s speed must therefore be matched by
a decrease in its pressure.
[students draw diagrams or images depicting
E. Generalization airplane flight using the Bernoulli’s principle.]
In your groups, make a creative writing about
how engineers could make airplanes fly using
the Bernoulli’s principle.

IV. Assessment

Cite another example of an incident or object depicting Bernoulli’s principle and clearly explain
it into a sheet of paper.

V. Agreement

Familiarize with these words. Strain and stress and prepare to discuss it with the class.
 Detailed Lesson Plan
for
Hydrodynamics:
Bernoulli’s principle
4th year physics (SEDP)

Prepared by:

Leonard N. Ruiz
BSEd IVC

Submitted to:

Dr. Aris Reynold V. Cajigal

Mariano Marcos State University

College Of Teacher Education
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte 1st semester, S.Y. 2013-2014

Name: Date:
Year and section:
Direction: Cite another example of an incident, object or idea that relates to Bernoulli’s principle.
Explain how this principle is manifested or involve in the said example.

Adapted Teacher’s Guide (see Citation)

I. Learning Objectives
Students should be able to:
  Understand that air pressure decreases as the speed of air increases.
 Understand that air pressure acts in all directions (not just down).
 Recognize that engineers use their understanding of pressure differences to make
airplanes fly.

II. Materials List

Each student should have:

1 sheet of paper (new or recycled)

2 round balloons
2 pieces of string (18 inches long)
2 small plastic cups
2 straws
1 ping pong ball
Water

III. Introduction/Motivation
When talking baseball, why does a curveball curve? Why does an airplane fly? The reasons can
be found in Bernoulli's Principle, which states that the faster a fluid moves the less pressure it
exerts. There are different air velocities on different parts of a curveball as well as on the
different parts of an airplane. Bernoulli's Principle tells us that these differences in velocity mean
there are differences in pressure as well. On a curveball, the difference in pressure causes the ball
to move sideways. Engineers use their understanding of pressure differences to make airplanes
fly.

IV. Procedure
Before the Lesson

Make copies of the BFF Worksheet.

With the Students

Pass out the BFF Worksheet.

Part A: The Paper Tent

Have the students fold a piece of paper (lengthwise) in half and make a paper tent.
Ask the students to predict what will happen when they blow into the tent. Will it appear to get
larger, will it remain unchanged, or will it bend down toward the table? (Alternately, have
students turn their paper tents upside down and blow through the V shaped paper.)
 Make sure the students notice that the tent flattens. This is because the air moving through the
inverted V has less pressure, so the higher pressure on the outside of the paper tent flattens the
paper.
Have the students experiment with their paper tents, answer the relevant worksheet questions,
and discuss their results.

Part B: Moving Balloons

Blow up two balloons. Tie them off, and then attach a string to each one.
Have students hold the two balloons together.
Ask them to predict what will happen when they blow between the two balloons. Student
should record their hypothesis in the space provided on the worksheet.
Have students hold the balloons 4-6 inches apart and blow between them. If the students hold
the balloons too close together, the balloons will simply move away from the student. The
balloons must be sufficiently far apart so that students can blow between the balloons, not at the
balloons.
The students should see the balloons come together just like the paper V in Part A of the
Procedures section.
Have students complete the worksheet and discuss the results.

Part C: Magic Moving Ball

Place two plastic cups about 6 inches apart.

Place a ping pong ball in one of the cups.
Ask the students to predict how to get the ball from one cup to the other without touching
either the ball or cup.
Have the students try a few of their ideas.
Tell the students to gently blow across the top of the cup with the ball in it.
The ball should jump from one cup to the next. This is because the air pressure moving across
the top of the cup is less than the pressure inside the cup. The higher pressure inside the cup
forces the ping pong ball to jump out of the cup.
Have the students experiment with how far apart they can place the cups and still get the ping
pong ball to jump from one to the other.

Part D: Bernoulli's Water Gun

Give the students one cup filled with water and two straws.
Have students place one of the straws in the water.
Then students should cut the second straw in half to use as a "blower."
Ask the students to predict what will happen if they blow across the top of one straw in the water
with the other straw.
Have students blow across the top of the straw with the other straw. The water should rise up in
the first straw and blow across their table. This happens because the air blowing across the straw
in the cup reduces the air pressure at that point. The normal pressure underneath pulls the water
up the straw and the moving air blows the water out and across the room.
Have students experiment with different straw lengths as the "blower."

V. Troubleshooting Tips
Cut the string ahead of time to speed up the activity. Make sure there is a plan for the balloons
after the activity is complete, as leaving the balloons with the students quickly becomes a large
distraction.

VI. Assessment
Pre-Activity Assessment
Discussion: Solicit, integrate, and summarize student responses.

Ask students to review the Bernoulli Principle. Make sure everyone understands the concept.
(The faster a fluid moves the less pressure it exerts.)

Activity Embedded Assessment

Worksheet: Have the students record measurements and follow along with the activity on their
worksheet. After students have finished their worksheet, have them compare answers with their
peers. Discuss as a class.

Post-Activity Assessment
Class Discussion: Have the students engage in open discussion to suggest solutions to the
following problem:

Given what we have learned, how does the Bernoulli Principle relate to airplane flight?
(Answer: If air moves faster on one side of an object, the air pressure decreases and the object
will move in the direction of the faster moving air. This is how wings create lift and why the
objects in this experiment move in the direction of the faster air.)

VII. Activity Extensions

Have the students look up "Bernoulli Principle" on the Internet and try to find an online
demonstration of how the Bernoulli Principle works. A good site is:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mmc1919/venturi.html.
Have the students blow between two empty soda cans (laying on their sides) with a straw. The
cans should roll together just like the balloons came together. Do the students think this will
work with any two objects? Have them investigate the answer and write a paragraph about what
they find. (Most objects will do this unless they use objects that are too heavy for them to blow
apart.)