This section addresses students' tendency to apply simple linear causal structures to pressure-related phenomena such that they miss the complexity involved. The concept of relational causality is introduced to help students to understand that often a relationship of higher and lower pressure accounts for pressure-related outcomes. Boyles' and Charles' Law are introduced and interpreted using relational causality.

Section 3 Table of Contents

• Lesson 5: Contrasting Linear and Relational Causality in Explaining Air Pressure Phenomena
  • Understanding Goals
  • Background Information
  • Lesson Plan
    • Analyze Thinking
    • RECAST Thinking
    • Explore Causality
    • Review, Extend, Apply
  • Picture of Practice
• Lesson 6: Applying Relational Causality to Reasoning About Boyle's Law
  • Understanding Goals
  • Background Information
  • Lesson Plan
    • Analyze Thinking
    • RECAST Thinking
    • Explore Causality
    • Review, Extend, Apply
  • Example of Students' Work
• Lesson 7: Reasoning About Air Pressure Differentials Using Relational Causality
  • Understanding Goals
  • Background Information
  • Lesson Plan
    • Analyze Thinking
    • RECAST Thinking
    • Explore Causality
    • Review, Extend, Apply
  • Picture of Practice
• Lesson 8: What is Charles' Law and How Does it Involve Relational Causality?
  • Understanding Goals
  • Background Information
  • Lesson Plan
    • Analyze Thinking
    • RECAST Thinking
    • Explore Causality
    • Review, Extend, Apply
• Lesson 9: Relational Causality and Bernoulli's Principle
  • Understanding Goals
  • Background Information
  • Lesson Plan
    • Analyze Thinking
    • RECAST Thinking
    • Explore Causality
    • Review, Extend, Apply
• Resources for Section 3
  • Modeling the Jar and the Bag Activity Sheet (PDF: 14 KB / 4 pages / 8½" X 11")
  • Thinking About Relational Causality Sheet (PDF: 16 KB / 2 pages / 8½" X 11")
  • How Does a Syringe Work? Activity Sheet (PDF: 18 KB / 2 pages / 8½" X 11")
  • Drinking from a Straw: Models to Reveal What Happens Activity Sheet (PDF: 9 KB / 2 pages / 8½" X 11")
  • Lift: Bernoulli's Principle Activity Sheet (PDF: 7 KB / 1 page / 8½" X 11")
  • Mapping Out Relational Causality in Lift Activity Sheet (PDF: 10 KB / 1 page / 8½" X 11")
  • The Causal Story of Lift Sheet (PDF: 19 KB / 1 page / 8½" X 11")
• Reinforcement Activities
  • A Microscopic View of Boyle's Law Using "Atomic Microscope 3-D" (PDF: 12 KB / 1 page / 8½" X 11")
  • The Balloon and the Bell Jar (PDF: 22 KB / 2 pages / 8½" X 11")
  • Revisiting Water in a Straw (PDF: 16 KB / 1 page / 8½" X 11")
  • What Causes the Balloon to Get Pushed/Pulled Into the Flask? (PDF: 26 KB / 3 pages / 8½" X 11")
  • Can Air Crush a Soda Can? (PDF: 68 KB / 1 page / 8½" X 11")
  • Making Connections Using Relational Causality (PDF: 10 KB / 2 pages / 8½" X 11")
  • Mapping Relational Causality (PDF: 255 KB / 2 pages / 8½" X 11")
  • Transferring Relational Causality (PDF: 14 KB / 4 pages / 8½" X 11")
  • Charles' Law and the Rising Water (PDF: 117 KB / 7 pages / 8½" X 11")
• Endnotes for Section 3

Explanation of Photo

The flight of an airplane is explained by the relational causality involved in Bernoulli’s principle. Faster moving air over the curved surface of the top of the wing exerts less air pressure than that traveling over the relatively flatter surface of the bottom of the wing, resulting in a pressure lift.