Storyboard Example: Outline

Drag Forces Content

Simple outline for entire Drag Forces module

The Drag Forces module content is divided into the categories for the Content navigation from the Side Navigation Bar-- each numbered point is intended to be a link from the Side Navigation Bar. The outline here is just a sketch--a good place to start. Each numbered point, however, should develop into a more detailed explanation of the content and activities to be included in a final storyboard, much like the Schematic Storyboard Example for the Drag Forces Module's "Experiment Analysis" section.

  1. Objectives

    In this module, students will study the drag force exerted by a fluid on a solid object in motion relative to the fluid. There will be a number of problems and interactive exercises to link everyday experiences, fluid mechanics and mathematics. In particular, students will:
    study the motion of a body falling in a vacuum;
    study the motion of a body falling in a fluid;
    do a quantitative analysis of how the additional drag exerted by a parachute enables a skydiver to land safely.

  2. Falling in a Vacuum

    Force Balance
    velocity as a function of time--Newton's second law; gravity as force, equations and derivations; falling bob experiment
    Velocity and Acceleration
    velocity as a function of distance--rewrite equations using chain rule.

  3. Falling in a Fluid

    Force Balance
    velocity as a function of time; introduce concept of drag force; equations--include derivations and solutions
    Velocity and Acceleration
    velocity as a function of distance including drag coefficient

  4. Summary of Force Balance and Velocity and Acceleration

    Summarize essential equations and concepts for a body falling from rest in a vacuum and a body falling from rest in a fluid.
    Describe a common skydive-- use this example in other sections of module
    Skydiver applet
    Skydiver video
    Homework problems from chapter 9.4 in text, based on applet and graphs

  5. Comparison of Falling in a Vacuum and Falling in a Fluid

    Two cases: when k/m<<1 and when k/m>>1.
    Links to Taylor Series
    Discussion question: why is the velocity of skydiver greater in vacuum?
    Practice problems from chapter 9.5 in text.

  6. Terminal Velocity

    Discuss quantitative vs. qualitative differences in falling in a vacuum and falling in a fluid.
    equation and derivation for terminal velocity
    discussion question: relationship of terminal velocity of skydiver example
    practice problems pertaining to skydiver example: calculate terminal velocity under different conditions.

  7. Save a Skydiver!

    using a parachute to reduce terminal velocity
    set up equations to mathematically represent a common skydive example
    discussion question: properties of a parachute that make it effective
    practice problems using skydiver applet and graphs

  8. Experiment Analysis

    explanation of falling bob experiment--include mathematical vs. experimental observations.
    generalize velocity vs. time data to any object
    video and explanation of the steel bob experiment
    Experiment analysis--graph of results: strange result, explain. mathematical representation of results (eqn. mdv/dt = mg), analysis of why drag forces are negligible in this experiment. Include links to solution and derivation for the equations.
    Discussion questions: Is the first analysis a strange result? Why? Under what circumstances are eqns. 9.1 and 9.2 identical?
    Homework problems from chapter 9.6

  9. Dynamic Similarity

    comparison of real world examples--bob experiment and skydiver-- and translation into universal equation
    include derivation and explanation.

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