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A Genius Idea
A Genius Idea for an uplifting crane
- Secondary 1
- Secondary 2
- Secondary 3
15–30 minutes
A challenge in which students build and operate a simple hydraulic system to understand how a crane can lift heavy loads. Using water-filled syringes connected by tubing, they’ll explore how pressure is transmitted through fluids and discover Pascal’s principle through the scientific method.
Physical principles covered
- Pascal’s principle
- Pressure in fluids
- Compressible and incompressible fluids
- Mechanical advantage in hydraulic systems
Required materials
- Crane model or structure
- 6 mL syringe
- 30 mL syringe
- Tubing (~30 cm)
- Bowl
- Coloured water
- A small weight to lift
- Photo of a hydraulic lift
Concepts from the Québec Education Program
Science and Technology – The material world:
- Pressure and fluids
- Simples machines and technical objects
- The scientific method