Exploring the fluid dynamics of global climate change

 Section 1: Motivating the Study  Section 2: Understanding Forces in Fluids ◦ Activity I – Measuring fluid density ◦ Activity II – Effect of density on fluid pressure  Section 3: Tank Simulation of Saltwater/Freshwater Interaction  Section 4: Computer Modeling of Saltwater Intrusion in Coastal Regions

 Essential Question – Is Global Climate Change really happening?  Students will - ◦ access and evaluate GCC data ◦ make a graph using Excel software ◦ draw conclusions about evidence for global climate change from the graphs

 Essential Question – ???How is seawater different from freshwater?  In Activity I students will - ◦ apply their understanding of density to fluid behavior ◦ apply the scientific method by writing a lab report ◦ understand how density of fluids can be measured directly

 Essential Question – ????How is seawater different from freshwater?  In Activity II students will – ◦ discover how experimental data can be used to determine mathematical relationships between different variables ◦ understand how density of fluids can be measured indirectly

 Essential Question – How will saltwater and freshwater interact if sea level rises?  Students will – ◦ manipulate variables to simulate changes in the groundwater system ◦ draw conclusions about the possible effects of global climate change on human activities

 Essential Question – ????  Students will - ◦ ???

You be the student!

How do fluid properties affect fluid behavior? Purpose: Students will experiment to determine what variables affect the pressure, or force per area, exerted by a fluid. Overview: Four liquids are put into separate manometers. How will the liquids respond when pressure is applied? Will the liquids respond identically?

 Activities will be “dropped into” the curriculum at appropriate places in the content  How will the students see the “forest” and not just the “trees”? ◦ Activities will be kept in their notebook ◦ Reflection questions will be posted on a blogging site.  Physics Reflections Physics Reflections