Level 5: Pressure and buoyancy

Air and fluids · level 5 of 8 · rough age 12-13 (a guide for parents; anyone can start anywhere)

This level puts the push of fluids into equations. You see how pressure spreads through a liquid in a hydraulic jack, how it grows with depth, and why it grows more slowly on Mars. Then you measure upthrust with Archimedes' principle, use density to say what floats and how deep, and size a balloon that could fly in Mars's thin air.

Lesson	You will be able to
Pressure in fluids	Use \(F_1/A_1 = F_2/A_2\) for a hydraulic jack
Pressure and depth	Use \(p = \rho g h\) to find the pressure under a liquid
Deep water on Mars	Compare the pressure at depth on Mars and on Earth
Archimedes' principle	Find the upthrust from the fluid pushed aside
What floats	Use density to say whether a thing floats, and how much of it sinks
Balloons on Mars	Work out how big a balloon must be to lift a load on Mars

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