Project: Hydraulic Jump or Ball Spin

[ponjavic]

These are the problems I have to choose between for a school project entering a competition. There are other problems but these are the ones I'm torn between.

Hydraulic jump
When a smooth column of water hits a horizontal plane, it flows out radially. At some radius, its height suddenly rises. Investigate the nature of the phenomenon. What happens if a liquid more viscous than water is used?

Ball spin
Spin can be used to alter the flight path of balls in sport. Investigate the motion of a spinning ball, for example a table-tennis or tennis ball, in order to determine the effect of the relevant parameters.

I would like suggestions on which of these might be more interesting, which would be easier to make something impressive out of, which is more experimentable (I'm definitely leaning towards the hydraulic flow just because of this reason) and which should have the most available information.

Just googling a bit I've found the following.

For Ball Spin:
http://www.google.se/search?q=cache:Vf2xE018DvQJ:physicsweb.org/article/world/11/6/8+football+spin+physics&hl=sv

For Hydraulic Jumps:
(amongst many others)
http://www.google.se/search?q=cache:tjqh5TfoikoJ:suuri.sci.ibaraki.ac.jp/~shinya/res/hyd.html+hydraulic+jumps+physics+polygonal&hl=sv
http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/physics/pdf/0208/0208079.pdf
http://info.fysik.dtu.dk/%7Etbohr/papers/Nonlinearitycover.pdf

I'm also wondering whether the polygonal status of the jump will be relevant to the project based on the definition of the problem and what is needed to cause the effect.

I know this could/should be done by myself, but I have to decide now or early tomorrow, don't know why but my teachers are hogging me so what advice/comments can you provide regarding my decision on which to chose?

 

[member 553083]

Based on the information you provided, it seems that the hydraulic jump may be the best option for your project. This is because it is more experimentable and there is more available information on the topic. Additionally, the polygonal status of the jump might be a relevant factor to consider when designing your project. The ball spin project could provide interesting results but might be more difficult to make something impressive out of due to the lack of available information. Ultimately, the decision is up to you!

 

[wais]

Both of these problems are very interesting and can make for a great project. It ultimately depends on your personal interests and strengths. If you are more interested in fluid dynamics and the behavior of liquids, then the hydraulic jump would be a great choice. It is also experimentable and there is a lot of available information on the subject.

On the other hand, if you are more interested in sports and the physics behind them, then the ball spin problem would be a good choice. It may be slightly more challenging to experiment with, but there is still a lot of information available on the subject, especially in relation to sports.

In terms of making something impressive, both projects have the potential to yield impressive results. With the hydraulic jump, you could potentially create a model or demonstration of the phenomenon and explain its behavior. With ball spin, you could analyze the motion of different types of balls and their spin in relation to different sports.

As for the polygonal status of the hydraulic jump, it may be relevant to your project depending on the angle you choose to approach it from. It could also make for an interesting aspect to explore in your project.

Ultimately, it is important to choose the problem that you are most interested in and feel you can excel in. Whichever one you choose, make sure to thoroughly research and experiment with it to create a strong and impressive project. Good luck!