Experiences

Archimedes' principle

Mercé Pérez Santamaría

Spain

High Secondary School

Physics

Teaching in class

Direct

Main difficult in learning or teaching science at school.
• Pre-conceived ideas of concepts and physical magnitudes, Physics of common sense (Aristotelian), which are difficult to change in favor of understanding the Newtonian physics.
• Confusion between words of everyday language and the meaning of these terms in physics. For example, pressure, force, work ...
• Lack of math skills.
• Poor formalization of physics formulas. Confusion between the physical quantities and the relationship between them

Please provide an example of a personal experience and the solution you applied.
To explain Archimedes' principle (It indicates that the upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether fully or partially submerged, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces) and clarify and strengthen the concept of force we make a simple laboratory experience where students work in groups of two. Students work as follows:
• Students calculate the weight of a body from the measurement of their mass.
• The body is introduced into a measuring cylinder and the weight of the body in the water and the volume of displaced water were measured.
• The weight of water displaced is estimated
• He finds that the weight of the body out of the water corresponds to the body out of the water plus the weight of the displaced volume of water.

If applicable, please try to highlight how the chosen solution increased the interest of the student towards science.
Laboratory experiences usually like a lot to the students because they represent a change in their school routine and increase their motivation. Experiences, especially in the first years of secondary, I think should be simple so that students are able to draw conclusions for themselves and check the physical principles that aim. These practices make them reflect on the theoretical concepts and draw conclusions from their experience. Increasing their understanding of the laws of physics and their motivation in science learning.