Calculating Force Exerted by Wind on Object

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the force exerted by wind on a ping-pong ball within a vertical tube, using a fan to generate airflow. The key formula presented is the force of air on the ball, which is determined by multiplying the air pressure by the cross-sectional area of the ball. At equilibrium, the upward force from the air matches the downward gravitational force acting on the ball, preventing further ascent.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics principles, particularly force and equilibrium.
  • Familiarity with air pressure concepts and how they apply to fluid dynamics.
  • Knowledge of the cross-sectional area calculation for spherical objects.
  • Basic experience with experimental setups involving airflow and objects in motion.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the calculation of air pressure using Bernoulli's principle.
  • Explore the concept of buoyancy and its relation to forces in fluids.
  • Learn about the effects of airflow speed on the force exerted on objects.
  • Investigate the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software for simulating airflow effects.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for physics students, engineers involved in fluid dynamics, and hobbyists conducting experiments with airflow and object dynamics.

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Calculating the force exerted on an object

Hello everyone,
I have done the next experiment: Air produced by a fan entered a vertical tube, inside the tube there was a ping-pong ball, so when the wind entered the tube the ball move upwards a certain distance.
My question is: How do you calculate the force that the wind exerted on the ball to elevated a certain distance.
TIA:smile:
 
Last edited:
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The force on the ball by the air is just the air pressure * the area of the ball on which the air acts.

At some equilibrium, the force of the air balance the force of gravity acting on the ball, otherwise the ball would continue to rise.
 

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