The 2024-25 AP Curriculum for AP Physics 1 has been updated to include a Fluids unit covering four general topics:

Vernier has a few activities that fit with these topics; however, modifications will be required to make them more closely align to the topics at the level appropriate for AP Physics students.

What We Have Now

Internal Structure and Density—Buoyancy

We have a buoyancy lab that involves hanging a mass from a force sensor and lowering it into a graduated cylinder half-full of water. The force sensor reports the apparent weight and students measure the displaced volume of water. The students look to confirm that the buoyant force is equivalent to the weight of the displaced water.

Pressure—Static Fluid Pressure

The activity Pool Plunge was written to explore the relationship between static fluid pressure (P), fluid density (ρ), and fluid height (h), using a Gas Pressure Sensor or Wide Rage Pressure Sensor. A length of tubing connected to the pressure sensor is lowered vertically into a container of fluid, or is placed in a continer and fluid is added incrementally. The students record the pressure readings at various depths of fluid to determine the relationship P = ρgh + P_atm.

Fluids and Conservation Laws—Torcelli’s theorem

We have a Water Flow from a Tank Video Analysis activity where students analyze the trajectory of a stream of water as it leaves a tank. The students investigate the relationship between the depth of the water in the tank, the pressure of the fluid exiting the tank, and the horizontal distance from the tank the water hits the ground. This activity requires a license for Vernier Video Analysis.

Additional Ideas

We’ve seen some teachers use our probes and/or Video Analysis to measure fluid flow and investigate Bernoulli’s principle. While this can be done, expect it to be a challenging activity – especially with a classroom of students.

Coming in the Future

We do have plans to create a fluid pressure sensor, fluid flow sensor, experimental apparatus, and related experiments to support the study of Fluids more fully using Vernier sensors. However, these sensors and supporting materials will NOT be available for the 2024 – 2025 school year.