You are on page 1of 4

BERNOULLI'S PRINCIPLE

Physical Science Lab Name ___________________________________________Group #_____ Date ___________ Others in Group ________________________________________________________________ Introduction: Daniel Bernoulli was a Swiss scientist, born in 1700. Among his many discoveries was the fact that the pressure in a moving fluid (either liquid or gas) was less than the pressure in a stationary fluid. This principle, which bears Bernoullis name, is partially responsible for the ability of airplane wings to lift the airplane off the ground. When an airplane moves through the air, the shape of the wing causes the air moving across the top to move faster than the air on the bottom of the wing. As a result, Bernoullis principle tells us that there will be more pressure on the bottom of the wing than on the top, helping to lift the airplane. (In reality, this is only a partial explanation: the wing also exerts a force on air to move it downward. The reaction force (Newtons Third Law) pushes the airplane upward. This is the major part of the force involved and explains why airplanes can fly upside down. If only Bernoullis principle were at work, the would not be able to fly while inverted.) Here are some experiments to test Bernoullis Principle: 1. RISING PAPER STRIP EXPERIMENT Cut a piece of paper 2" by 6". Hold the narrow end, with the other end hanging down, in front of your mouth and blow across the top. Most people think the paper should go down as you blow across the top but surprisingly the paper rises up. This is because the air you blow is moving faster than the air under the paper. That means there is more pressure on the underside than the top.* Questions to investigate: Does it matter how hard you blow? How can you test this?

Run your test and observe the result. Describe it here.

If you put paper clips on the lower end of the strip, how many does it take to keep the Bernoulli effect from raising the paper? Make a prediction here: ______________

How many did it actually take? Put result here: _______________

Physical Science Lab

Bernoullis Principle

2. HANGING PING-PONG BALLS AND BERNOULLIS BELLS EXPERIMENT Using tape, attach a piece of string to each of two ping-pong balls, and suspend them from a horizontal support of some kind. Using a ruler, measure the distance between the balls. Then blow between the balls from a distance of about 2or 3" in front of the balls. Bernoullis principle then causes the two balls to move toward each other. (The air traveling between the balls is moving and the air on the outer sides is stationary.) You can also do the same experiment using soda cans instead of balls. This is like Bernoullis original experiment that used bells (cans are cheaper, so thats what we have). The principles are the same. Questions to investigate: Try the above procedure with the balls spaced different distances apart. What is the farthest apart you can make it work? Prediction: ______________ Experiment: ________________ Will the effect work if you blow through a straw instead? If it does work, does the maximum distance you can have them apart change? Is it better to have the end of the straw between the balls, or further back?

Repeat the above steps using the bells instead of the balls: Try the above procedure with the balls spaced different distances apart. What is the farthest apart you can make it work? Prediction: ______________ Experiment: ________________ Will the effect work if you blow through a straw instead? If it does work, does the maximum distance you can have them apart change? Is it better to have the end of the straw between the balls, or further back? Explanation: Using Bernoullis principle, explain how this demonstration works.

Physical Science Lab 3a. PING PONG BALL IN A FUNNEL EXPERIMENT

Bernoullis Principle

Surround the stem of the funnel with a tube of tape to avoid direct contact with the funnel. Place the ping pong ball in the funnel and blow. What would you expect to happen? What actually happens? Explain this in terms of Bernoullis Principle: Try turning the funnel as though to dump out the ping-pong ball while blowing on it. What happens? When does the ball fall out?

Have someone watch and describe the balls motion while you blow. What does it do?

3b. CARD AND SPOOL EXPERIMENT Check the spool to make sure the hole is open before you start. Place a pin in a 3" x 5" card and place the card on a spool with the pin in the hole in the center of the spool. Poke a hole in another 3" x 5" card and place it on the other end of the spool with its hole lined up with the spools hole. (This is to prevent your mouth from making direct contact with the spool and spreading germs.) Hold the spool above your mouth, tip your head back and blow through the bottom card into the spool. What happens to the card on the top of the spool? Explain this in terms of Bernoullis principle:

While blowing, tip the spool upside down. What happens to the loose card?

Physical Science Lab 4. BLOW PIPE EXPERIMENT

Bernoullis Principle

If you dont have your own blow pipe, cover the stem of the pipe with a tube of tape before blowing on it to avoid direct contact of your mouth and the stem. Place the small plastic ball in the basket on the top of the pipe. Blow into the pipe with a steady stream of air. What happens to the ball?

What happens to the ball when you stop blowing?

While blowing, tilt your head slightly so the pipe tilts.. What happens to the ball?

If you stop blowing while your head and the pipe are tilted, will the ball fall back into the basket as it did before? Prediction: _______________ Experiment: _________________ Explain what you observed in terms of Bernoullis principle.

Additional information is available from Demonstration of Bernoulli's Principle http://home.earthlink.net/~mmc1919/venturi.html Try out their animation at the bottom of the site. Discuss the results you observe from changing the channel the fluid goes through..

You might also like