Publisher

Instructional Video

The Physics of Human Sperm vs. the Physics of the Sperm Whale

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

This The Physics of Human Sperm vs. the Physics of the Sperm Whale instructional video also includes:

Here is an unusual comparison: the swimming conditions of a sperm cell and a sperm whale. Introduce your physics class to the Reynolds number by sharing this video comparison during your fluid mechanics unit. Afterward, teach them to calculate the Reynolds number for other organisms to determine whether inertial or viscous force is dominant, or assign a laboratory investigation on viscosity of fluids.

15 Views 8 Downloads CCSS: Adaptable

Concepts

locomotor skills, gross motor skills, newton's first law of motion, newton's laws of motion, sir isaac newton, bacteria, viscosity, ratios

Additional Tags

fluid dynamics, sperm cell, reynolds number, density of liquids, viscosity, scale model, ratio, newton's first law of motion, locomotion, bacteria, science

Pros

A unique approach to fluid dynamics
Can be used to support Next Generation Science Standards in physical science
Includes assessment and discussion questions
Links to other resources that can be used to explore the Reynolds number

Cons

None

Common Core

View 68,452 other resources for 9th - 12th Grade Science