Why doesent water fall down from a bucket while rotating it upside down?

In summary, the water does not fall from the bucket while rotating upside down because the rotation creates a centripetal acceleration that is greater than the acceleration of gravity, causing the water to remain inside the bucket.
  • #1
chound
164
0
Why doesn't water fall down from a bucket while rotating it upside down?
Also:
1)What causes sound when bombs explode? Is it the quick heating of air and compression something like sonic boom
2)How do the ariel fireworks go up and explode?
 
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  • #2
chound said:
Why doesn't water fall down from a bucket while rotating it upside down?
Also:
1)What causes sound when bombs explode? Is it the quick heating of air and compression something like sonic boom
2)How do the ariel fireworks go up and explode?

don't want to deal with 1 and 2, but the answer to question 0 is that the premise of the question is wrong. water does fall from the bucket if the rotation is slow enough.

if the rotation is so fast that the bucket is accelerating downward faster than the acceleration of gravity, then the bucket is forcing the water to fall faster than gravity and since the sides and "bottom" of the bucket are pushing the water to accelerate faster than gravity is pulling (out of the open "top" of the bucket), the water does not escape the containment of the bucket.
 
  • #3
rbj Can it be expressed mathematically as Weight = mass(gravity-acceleration of bucket),
since a >g it experiences negative weight?
 
  • #4
I'll take #3. Commercial fireworks are launched by computer control (although some artists still sequence them manually) from a series of mortars. The launching charge determines how high they go, and an internal fuse that is lit during launch determines at what time they explode. Any secondary explosions are fuse-timed from the bursting charge. It's actually a very intricate system.
 
  • #5
As for 1. this is an effect of centrifugal force - http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/corf.html#cent

In general - http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/circ.html

It is important to understand the difference between centrifugal and centripetal forces.

#2 - Sonic booms arise from the compression of air on the leading points of an aircraft which reaches, then slightly exceeds the speed of sound in the air.

This might help - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_boom


#3 - Aerial fireworks are launched from a mortar (usually steel metal tube). There is a launching charge, which propels the pyrotechnic charge into the air, and the burst charge inside the package.
http://people.howstuffworks.com/fireworks2.htm
 
  • #6
Momentum (motion) applied to the bucket is imparted (delivered) to its contents, the water inside. Once the water is in motion it has a tendency to continue its motion at the same speed and direction (velocity), in a strait line. Once sufficient motion is reached this tendency (inertia) overcomes the pull of gravity and the water remains inside.
 
  • #7
Another way of saying what rbj already explained: Since the bucket of water is being whirled in a circle, its acceleration is centripetal. At the apex of its motion that centripetal acceleration is downward. If the bucket is moving too slowly, the centripetal acceleration will be less than g and the water will begin to fall from the bucket; but if the speed is sufficient to make the centripetal acceleration greater than g, the water will be pressed into the bucket and will not spill.
 

1. Why doesn't water fall out of a bucket when it's rotated upside down?

When a bucket is rotated upside down, the centrifugal force created by the rotation pushes the water towards the bottom of the bucket, creating a curve in the surface of the water. This curve helps to keep the water inside the bucket and prevents it from spilling out.

2. What is centrifugal force and how does it affect the water in a rotating bucket?

Centrifugal force is the outward force that is created when an object is rotating around a central point. In the case of a rotating bucket, the centrifugal force pushes the water towards the bottom of the bucket, creating a curve in the surface of the water and preventing it from falling out.

3. Is the shape of the bucket important for the water to stay inside while rotating?

Yes, the shape of the bucket is important for the water to stay inside while rotating. A cylindrical or conical shaped bucket is most effective in creating the necessary centrifugal force to keep the water in, whereas a flat-bottomed bucket may not create enough centrifugal force and cause the water to spill out.

4. Does the speed of rotation affect whether or not the water stays in the bucket?

Yes, the speed of rotation does affect whether or not the water stays in the bucket. The faster the rotation, the greater the centrifugal force, and the more likely the water is to stay inside the bucket. However, if the rotation is too fast, the water may be pushed out due to the force being too strong.

5. Why does the water not fall out of a bucket when it's rotated upside down, but it does when it's swung around?

The difference between rotating a bucket and swinging it around is the direction of the centrifugal force. When swinging a bucket, the centrifugal force is pushing the water outwards, while when rotating the bucket, the centrifugal force is pushing the water towards the bottom of the bucket, keeping it in. This is why the water may fall out when swinging the bucket, but not when rotating it upside down.

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