How can you tell they’ve got it: Deformation & Fluid Pressure?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Distinguishes elastic deformation (returns to shape) from inelastic/plastic deformation (permanently changed); Explains why bridges and railway tracks have expansion gaps; Explains why pressure increases with depth in a liquid (e.g. why deep-sea divers need pressure suits); Gives an everyday example of thermal expansion causing a problem or being used usefully. Or just try it together: If your child noticed the lid on a jar was very tight, could they explain why running it under hot water helps — and what's happening to the metal as it heats up?

Science Forces & Motion Ages 12–13

Deformation & Fluid Pressure

Your child can explain why hot water loosens a tight jar lid — the metal grows a little as it heats. They know water pressure grows deeper down.

In curriculum terms

Explain forces associated with deforming objects (elastic and inelastic deformation), thermal expansion and contraction of materials, and how fluid pressure acts in all directions and increases with depth

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Distinguishes elastic deformation (returns to shape) from inelastic/plastic deformation (permanently changed)
Explains why bridges and railway tracks have expansion gaps
Explains why pressure increases with depth in a liquid (e.g. why deep-sea divers need pressure suits)
Gives an everyday example of thermal expansion causing a problem or being used usefully

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Try this together

If your child noticed the lid on a jar was very tight, could they explain why running it under hot water helps — and what's happening to the metal as it heats up?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Resultant Forcesages 11–12Deformation and fluid pressure involve forces acting on objects — the vector force framework gives the conceptual grounding

Deformation & Fluid Pressurethis skill · ages 12–13

Unlocks

Nothing on the map depends on this yet.

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

This skill sits beyond Year 6 in the Australian Curriculum, so no F–6 code is matched. It also sits beyond the NSW K–6 syllabuses. It also sits beyond Level 6 in the Victorian Curriculum.

Nearby on the map

Electromagnetsages 12–13 Investigating Forcesages 12–13 Moments, Pressure & Hooke's Lawages 12–14 Newton's First & Second Lawsages 12–13

All Forces & Motion skills →