Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 01/12/2025
Subject: Physics
Lesson Topic: Forces, density and pressure
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe linear momentum as a vector quantity and state its units.
  • Apply conservation of linear momentum to predict outcomes of elastic and inelastic collisions.
  • Calculate hydrostatic and dynamic pressure using density and velocity.
  • Relate force to the rate of change of momentum and use the impulse‑momentum theorem.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector or interactive whiteboard
  • Slides/handout covering momentum, density, and pressure formulas
  • Worksheets with collision and fluid‑force problems
  • Set of masses and low‑friction carts with track
  • Stopwatch and optional force sensor
  • Calculators or simulation software
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick demonstration: drop two carts of different masses onto a track to spark curiosity about how they interact. Recall students' prior knowledge of Newton’s laws and the definition of force. Explain that today they will explore how momentum, density, and pressure interrelate and what success looks like – being able to predict outcomes of collisions and fluid forces.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5’) – Short problem on calculating momentum (p = mv); review answers.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – Review momentum, impulse, and the force‑momentum relationship with slides.
  3. Interactive demonstration (10’) – Elastic and inelastic collisions using carts; students predict post‑collision speeds.
  4. Fluid mechanics link (10’) – Explain density, pressure, hydrostatic and dynamic pressure; show water‑jet onto a plate demo.
  5. Guided practice (10’) – Worksheet tasks: (a) pressure at depth, (b) force from a water jet, (c) momentum conservation for two‑block collision.
  6. Check for understanding (5’) – Exit‑ticket: one sentence stating the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions.
Conclusion:
Summarise how momentum conservation governs collisions while density and pressure describe forces in fluids. Ask students to write one key formula on a sticky note as an exit ticket. Assign homework: complete the worksheet problems and research a real‑world example of dynamic pressure, such as airplane wing lift.