This was an exciting week. We explored very different topics across the various kids’ batches: fluid dynamics and density. Yet, on second thoughts, it becomes obvious how closely the two topics are related in various applications.

The first question came up as we were trying to come up with various everyday applications of hydraulic systems. We went through the easy answers of excavators, cranes, elevators etc. Then as we tried harder, one of the 7th graders came up with this not so well-known uses of the hydraulic systems – hydraulic recoil systems in quick-firing guns. Hydraulic systems are inherently slow. So, the hydraulic recoil systems in these guns act as “shock absorbers” by damping the recoil impulse after firing, which in turn reduces the impact felt by the artillery mount/ base