| (a) |
Identify questions to investigate arising from practical problems and issues involving floating, sinking, and buoyancy (e.g., “What factors affect the amount of cargo a barge can hold?”, “Why do some objects float and some objects sink?”, and “How can a ship made of steel float in the ocean?”). |
| (b) |
Examine contributions of people from various cultures to understanding the principles of buoyancy, including Archimedes Principle, and the development of watercraft such as canoes and kayaks. |
| (c) |
Explain the concept of force and provide examples of different types of contact and non-contact forces. |
| (d) |
Illustrate, using force diagrams, the movement of objects in fluids in terms of balanced and unbalanced forces acting on the objects. |
| (e) |
Use a spring scale to determine the relationship between mass and weight for various substances. |
| (f) |
Express the quantitative relationship between pressure, force, and area in fluids. |
| (g) |
Conduct a fair test to identify which factors determine whether a given object will float or sink, and discuss reasons why scientists control some variables when conducting a fair test. |
| (h) |
Use a technological problem-solving process to design, construct, and evaluate a prototype of an object that floats and can carry the greatest amount of cargo. |
| (i) |
Explain how buoyancy is controlled in nature (e.g., fish, humans, and sharks) and in constructed devices (e.g., submarines, airplanes, airships, scuba gear, and hot air balloons). |
| (j) |
Compare different fluids to determine how they alter the buoyant force on a given object. |
| (k) |
Explain the operation of technologies whose development is based on scientific understanding of the properties of fluids (e.g., personal flotation devices, float planes, surfboards, gliders, anti-freeze tester, and heart pumps). |
| (l) |
Analyze designs of traditional and contemporary watercraft (e.g., canoe, kayak, lake boat, catamaran, and jet-ski) with respect to the principles of buoyancy. |
