Contents
Key Stage 2
Meaning
Water Resistance is a force that slows objects down when they are moving through water.
- Noun: Water Resistance
About Water Resistance
- Water Resistance is a contact force.
- Water Resistance can only happen to an object in the water. It does not happen to objects on land, in the air or space.
- The amount of water resistance depends on:
- The size of an object.
- The shape of an object.
- How fast an object is moving through the water.
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| The trout is smaller than the dolphin, so it feels less water resistance. | The dolphin is bigger than the trout, so it feels more water resistance. |
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| The cube is not streamlined so it will feel a lot of water resistance. | The sphere is more streamlined than the cube so it will feel less water resistance. |
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| A rowboat is much slower than a speedboat so it does not feel as much water resistance. | A speedboat is much faster than a rowboat so it feels a lot more water resistance. |
Key Stage 3
Meaning
Water Resistance is a force which acts to decelerate objects that are moving through the air.
About Water Resistance
- Water resistance is a force so it is measured in Newtons.
- Water resistance is a contact force because it can only exist when an object is moving in the water.
- Water resistance increases with speed. The faster you travel the greater the water resistance.
- Water resistance depends on the surface area facing the direction of motion. The bigger the surface area, the larger the water resistance
Examples
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| As the boat moves through the water the water resistance slows it down. | The thrust of the submarine must provide a constant force to stay at the same speed because the water resistance would cause it to slow down. |