Science 8
Assignment: Factors That Affect Flow Rate
Mr. Birt
Name:_______________________________ Class:____ Date:____________________
Assignment: Design a lab to test one of the factors that affects flow rate (size of tube/hole,
temperature, or pressure) and provide the following information for your lab.
Title: ________________________________________________________________
Testable Question 1: ___________________________________________________
Independent Variable:
_______________________________________________
Dependent Variable:
_______________________________________________
Hypothesis: __________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Controlled Variables:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Apparatus (labelled diagram):
Method:
1) __________________________________________________________________
2) __________________________________________________________________
3) __________________________________________________________________
4) __________________________________________________________________
5) __________________________________________________________________
6) __________________________________________________________________
7) __________________________________________________________________
8) __________________________________________________________________
Analysis Questions:
1. a) Gather the data from the other 2 groups and record it.
b) How do these other 2 factors affect flow rate?
c) Three other factors that affect the rate of flow and a fluid’s viscosity are
- size of the fluid’s particles
- the surface material that the fluid is flowing over (smooth vs. rough)
- how straight the path of flow is for the fluid (a straight path is always
faster than one with several detours or bends)
2. Bubble gum is a liquid with a high viscosity. Considering what you have learned
about flow rate and temperature, what would be the best way to get unwanted
bubble gum off of the bottom of your shoe?
3. Motor oil is used in car engines to lubricate all moving parts. Do some research on
your own time (ask a mechanic, ask a parent, use the internet) to find out what
grade of oil would work best in the winter time. Why?
4. The straw served with a soft drink and the straw served with a milkshake are
different. Why?
5. If you had to make a pipeline to transport molasses from end of a factory to another,
how would the diameter of the pipeline differ from the diameter of a water pipeline in
the factory? Why? What else could you do to make the molasses flow more
quickly?