Browsing by Author "KISULE, LATIFU"

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    DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A LOW-COST DUAL-MODULE FLUID MECHANICS APPARATUS FOR A-LEVEL PHYSICS INSTRUCTION
    (2026-09-29) KISULE, LATIFU
    This study addressed the persistent "practical deficit" in physics education within Ugandan secondary schools, a challenge exacerbated by the high cost of imported laboratory equipment and the structural demands of the 2025 National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) competency-based syllabus. The primary objective of this research was to design, fabricate, and empirically validate a low-cost, durable, and integrated fluid mechanics instructional apparatus utilizing locally sourced, post-consumer polymers. The engineered system comprises two distinct operational units: a Fluid Statics Module employing a master-slave arrangement of graduated polystyrene syringes to model Pascal’s Principle, and a Fluid Dynamics Module combining recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottle funnels and transparent Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) conduits to construct a functional Venturi flow tube with integrated piezometric manometers. Quantitative testing and calibration trials were conducted in the Department of Physics Education laboratory at Busitema University to evaluate the metrological accuracy of the apparatus. The Fluid Statics Module demonstrated excellent hydrostatic reliability, yielding an experimental force amplification deviation of only 4.9% from the theoretical geometric area ratio. Concurrently, the Fluid Dynamics Module successfully mapped localized pressure head drops as fluid velocity accelerated through the Venturi throat, maintaining an operational error margin of 9.2% under steady flow conditions. Both values fall safely within the 10% maximum error threshold mandated for Advanced Level physics practical examinations. Additionally, localized dye-injection configurations allowed for the direct visual identification of laminar-to-turbulent flow transitions. These findings indicate that localized material improvisation using engineering grade scrap polymers offers a scientifically precise, economically viable, and pedagogically transformative alternative to conventional imported laboratory glassware, effectively bridging the gap between abstract fluid theory and classroom experimentation.