Why do ripples on water appear circular?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the shape of ripples formed on water when an object is dropped into it. Participants explore why these ripples appear circular rather than taking the shape of the object, considering various physical principles and theories.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions why ripples are circular, suggesting that they should reflect the shape of the object causing them.
  • Another participant argues that ripples are not circular near the disturbance but become approximately circular at greater distances where the wavelengths dominate.
  • A participant inquires about the role of surface tension in ripple formation.
  • Some participants propose that the circular shape is fundamental due to its ability to distribute force evenly.
  • There is a discussion about whether the circular shape or the sphere is the most fundamental shape in the universe.
  • A later reply mentions that diffraction effects can smooth out small features in a wavefront, leading to circular patterns at larger distances from the object.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of ripples, with some asserting that they become circular only at a distance, while others discuss the fundamental nature of circular shapes. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of these observations.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations regarding the assumptions made about the distance from the disturbance and the influence of surface tension, which are not fully explored or defined in the discussion.

shaan_aragorn
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Why are ripples on water only circular in shape? Why arent they of the shape of the object dropped in them? Like triangular or square?
 
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The ripples are not circular - right near the disturbance! They only become approximately circular in the far field where the distance from the disturbance and the dominant wavelengths are large compared with the size of the disturbing object.
 
Does surface tension play any part in the process of ripple formation?
 
the circular shape is the most fundamental shape in the universe, because it can distribute the force evenly...
 
zhen said:
the circular shape is the most fundamental shape in the universe
Or is it the sphere?
 
Last edited:
Diffraction effects tend to 'iron out' small features one might find in a wavefront. As the distance from the object becomes large, the object looks increasingly like a point object, and thus at large enough distances, the diffraction pattern becomes circular.

Claude.
 

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