Plan the investigation
What students will do
Compare locations, add the pressure forces, and calculate the parcel’s acceleration.
- Compare locations. Read speed, net force, and center-of-mass acceleration at three parcel positions.
- Add the forces. Include the end-cap and wall pressure forces with their signs.
- Check Newton’s second law. Calculate acceleration from parcel mass and net force.
What students will learn
- Identify speed and acceleration changes through a taper.
- Include sidewall forces in the net pressure force.
- Check Fnet = ma using parcel readings.
Common misconception
Does steady flow mean every parcel has zero acceleration?
A parcel can change speed as it moves through a flow whose readings stay constant at fixed locations.