Can a 1 kilometer giant straw function like a regular straw?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Vandalour
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Drawing Short
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the theoretical feasibility of a 1-kilometer-long straw functioning like a regular straw, specifically regarding its ability to hold water and the implications of pressure on a person jumping into the water beneath it. The analysis concludes that the pressure difference required to maintain a floating body of water is achievable, with calculations indicating that a 10-meter deep lake could theoretically hover above a swimmer. The pressure experienced by a person jumping into the water would be equivalent to that at a depth of 10 meters, which would not crush them but rather push them upwards due to the buoyant force.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of fluid dynamics principles, particularly pressure differentials
  • Basic knowledge of physics, including gravitational force and buoyancy
  • Familiarity with mathematical calculations involving volume and area
  • Concept of atmospheric pressure and its effects on fluids
NEXT STEPS
  • Research fluid dynamics and pressure differentials in liquids
  • Study the principles of buoyancy and Archimedes' principle
  • Explore the effects of atmospheric pressure on submerged objects
  • Investigate real-world applications of large-scale fluid containment systems
USEFUL FOR

Physics enthusiasts, engineers, and anyone interested in fluid mechanics and theoretical applications of large-scale structures in water dynamics.

Vandalour
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
hey, I think its time to ask a expert on the matter now.

I apoly for my bad English writing at first, I'm from Denmark 26 year old We all know you can take a straw and put it into a glass of water and put your finger at the hole in the other end and pull some of the water up with the straw.

1 My question are this.. imagine this : I got ordinary straw from McDonalds I scale it up to many times its size. let's say 1 kilometer long and 50 meters in diameter. I construct a giant mechanical robotic arm out on the sea that can handle the 1 kilometer straw as a normal human would at a normal scale. Would the big difference in size matter ? or would I be able to dip it down in the sea with my robotic arm and seal the hole with my robotic finger and pull it up and take water with me up ??

2 If the above would work and the scale don't affect the straws functions. that would make "in this case" 50 meters in diameter "lake" hover above anyone´s head while swimming under the straw while its pulled up by the robotic arm. And the question : What would happen if the person swimming under the straw jumped from a boat up in the water while its hovering over him ? will the water rush out of the straw or would he be able to swim "up" ? And then..

3 If the giant straw worked.. what would happen to the person that try to jump up from the boat into the water hovering in the straw.. I'm thinking of pressure, if the straw is 1 kilometer long and let's say its filled with water up 250 meters.. would the person be crushed by pressures when he touch the water ? because I'm thinking that he is at the bottom of the water witch the pressure much be high ?

4 Let's say this is not possible because of the size.. if so, then if I could shrink myself so small that a normal straw would seam like a 1 kilometer long straw.. then it would work ?? If so I'm confused, because that's just a matter of size again.. just the other way around. Please help me, I'm seeing straws everywhere now ;)
 
Physics news on Phys.org
1
In theory, the only condition required for the water in the straw to hover is that the force pushing the water down (mg) is equal to the force pushing the water up (PA) where P is the pressure difference between the top of the water and the bottom.

Now for a circular lake of diameter 50m, the mass per unit length will be
Pi*(25m)^2 * 1000 kg/m^3 = 1.96*10^6 kg/m. The area of this floating lake will be Pi*(25m)^2 = 1.96*10^3. the pressure difference P required to hold up a 1 meter deep lake of this area is the gravitational force of the water divided by the area of the water: P = [1m*1.96*10^6kg/m*(9.81 m/s^2)] / 1.96*10^3 = 9810 Pa. If there is a perfect vacuum between the top of the water and the robotic arm, then the pressure difference between the top and the bottom will be 1 atm = 101300Pa, meaning a floating lake would exist with a depth of about 10m.

I'm pretty sure my analysis is theoretically correct, but I'd wait a while for someone to call shenanigans on me before you take my word.

2 and 3
If a person jumped up into the water, then he/she would also have a pressure below him/her pushing them up. If the floating lake were 10m deep, they would feel the same pressure as they would feel at 10m below the surface of water at sea level.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
6K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 30 ·
2
Replies
30
Views
7K
  • · Replies 28 ·
Replies
28
Views
4K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
4K
Replies
16
Views
12K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K