How Does Water's Surface Shape Change in a Rotating Container?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a cylindrical container of water placed on a rotating turntable, examining how the water's surface shape changes due to rotation. The specific question is about the depression of water at the center compared to the outer edge of the container.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the calculation of angular velocity and its conversion to appropriate units. There are attempts to derive the height difference based on centripetal force and gravitational effects. Questions arise regarding the interpretation of the problem's center and the factors involved in the depression formula.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with various interpretations of the problem being explored. Some participants have provided calculations and reasoning, while others are questioning the assumptions and specific factors in the equations used.

Contextual Notes

There is some confusion regarding the definition of the center in the context of the turntable and the container. Additionally, discrepancies in the calculations of angular velocity and the factors in the depression formula are noted, indicating potential misunderstandings that remain to be clarified.

mrojc
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Homework Statement

A cylindrical container of water with a radius of 6.0 cm is placed on a phonograph turntable so that its outer edge just touches the outer edge of the turntable. The radius of the turntable is 14.5 cm, and the turntable rotates at 33 and a 1/3 revolutions per minute. How much is the water depressed in the centre compared to the outer edge of its container?[/B]

Homework Equations

gz − 1/2 ω2 (x2 + y2 ) = constant[/B]

The Attempt at a Solution

I know that x2+y2 is equal to the radius squared. I think from my notes it's equal to the radius squared of the water in the container. So plugging this in, and omega I calculated to be 3.49 rad/s, I get a height of 0.0022 m. I'm not sure where to go from here though.[/B]
 
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The height is an answer to the problem, so what more do you want to do?
 
So you don't need to calculate another answer using the 14.5 cm?
 
It is not clear to me what center the problem is referring to, as the glass with water is not over the center of the turntable.
So probably the center of the glass with water.
 
How do you get an omega of 3.49 rev/s, when the problem says omega is 33.33 rev/min?

Omega in units of seconds is 0.56 rev/s.
 
mrojc said:
@DuckAmuck I converted it to rad/s
my bad, i read "rad" as "rev".
 
So I get a depression can be characterized as w^2 R^2 /4g, which results in 0.65 cm.
 
@DuckAmuck Might I ask how did you get that, if that's ok?
 
  • #10
mrojc said:
@DuckAmuck Might I ask how did you get that, if that's ok?
The depression is defined as original height of the liquid when it is not spinning, minus the central height when it is spinning?
 
  • #11
Why is it 4g though? Should it not be 2g?
 
  • #12
So there are two forces acting on the surface, gravity and centripetal force. The acceleration from gravity is g, the acceleration from centripetal force is a.
a is defined as a = rw^2.
The infinitesimal elements of the surface are dr (radial distance), dz (vertical distance).
The ratio between the forces and the elements are equal such that:
dz/dr = rw^2/g

Now integrate to get z(r). Then keep in mind the volume is still the same as when it was standing still to find the depression.
 
  • #13
mrojc said:
Why is it 4g though? Should it not be 2g?
It's possible I missed a factor of 2.
 
Last edited:

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