Hands-On Experimentation in the Fluid Mechanics Classroom as Homework With eFluids.com

In an introductory fluid mechanics course, it is important for students to realize that the mathematical models they are deriving in class sometimes model the real world well and sometimes not so well. One way to demonstrate this is to have the students model a simple experiment and compare the results of the model to those of the experiment. This exercise teaches the importance of the model assumptions and the applicability of the model. It would be even more effective if the experiments were simple enough so that students could do them at home as a homework assignment, rather than restricting their experience to a “canned” two hour lab course. At eFluids.com, we are building a library of such experiments in an effort to build a community of educators that moves beyond the traditional mathematical exercises for homework. Here, we describe a number of these experiments and how they can be used in classes. We also present some methods of using the eFluids.com Gallery of Images in the classroom to give students the opportunity to see “Fluids in Action.” Finally, we introduce the eFluids Olympiad section where faculty can post effective and “interesting” homework problems.