Upthrust calculations
I can explain why pressure changes with depth and causes upthrust.
Upthrust calculations
I can explain why pressure changes with depth and causes upthrust.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The pressure in a fluid increases with depth because the weight of fluid above pushes particles closer together.
- The pressure on an object in a fluid pushes with more force on the lower part of it and causes upthrust.
- An object floats in water if its density is less than that of water.
- The density of a material increases with the mass of each particle and the closeness of its particles.
- Ice is less dense than water as its crystal structure fixes the particles further apart than they are in water.
Keywords
Pressure - Produced by the forces from particles within a fluid acting on each other or on a surface.
Particles - Atoms or molecules that make up matter.
Upthrust - A force acting upwards on an object in a liquid due to pressure differences between the top and bottom surface.
Density - The mass per unit volume of a substance; a less dense substance will float on top of a more dense one.
Common misconception
Pupils often do not understand that even sub–microscopic particles have a mass and volume which affect the density of a substance.
Use the anomaly of ice floating on water to consolidate understanding that molecules have mass and that the spacing of water molecules can affect density.
To help you plan your year 10 physics lesson on: Upthrust calculations, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 physics lesson on: Upthrust calculations, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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Explore more key stage 4 physics lessons from the Particle explanations of density and pressure unit, dive into the full secondary physics curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions