Ideal gas law and fluid dynamics simulation: characterizing an air bubble rising from the bottom of a lake

Abstract

The use of animations, simulations, and remote lab experiments has taken a new turn during the pandemic. When teaching introductory-level physics courses, the simulations and animations play an important role. Carefully designed simulations assist students visualize real-life situations and help understand complex physics concepts behind them. Some of these simulations guide students to understand the problem itself and encourage them to adjust variables and observe the changes. Not to mention, both students and instructors can benefit from these simulations in any environment, remote, or in-person. We designed a simulation to demonstrate the rise of an air bubble from a certain depth of a lake. Assuming the gas trapped inside the air bubble to be ideal, using Ideal Gas Law, we designed the simulation to show how the volume of the bubble expands as it ascends. To solve for volume as it reaches the surface, we employed knowledge from fluid dynamics. We incorporated equations to account for the pressure variations with the depth. Unlike in other simulations, here we share a link with the user, permitting them to alter the program. This gives users an opportunity to understand the coding of the simulation, if they are interested in creating similar animations in the future.