Something I have always wondered.

  • Context: High School 
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SUMMARY

The discussion centers around the hypothetical scenario of dropping a tennis ball into a frictionless automotive funnel. Participants assert that even without friction, the ball would not pass through the funnel due to its size relative to the outlet. The ball would compress against the funnel's walls, losing energy in the process. Key points include the distinction between friction and normal forces, and the implications of air resistance and deformation on the ball's motion.

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  • Familiarity with the principles of elasticity and deformation in materials.
  • Knowledge of fluid dynamics, particularly in relation to friction and resistance.
  • Basic grasp of experimental design and theoretical vs. practical applications in physics.
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  • Study the effects of air resistance on falling objects and how it can be mitigated in experiments.
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  • #31
junglebeast said:
My point is that the underlying force behind "friction" and the "normal force" (which are not real independent forces) is the same thing, and it is present here, regardless of the value of the "Coefficient of friction."

I'm not sure what you mean by this, so I'll let you elaborate first.
 
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  • #32
Thank you all for your answers.

I can see that I will learn a lot here!
 
  • #33
i am really impressed by your reasons regarding this case...but seriously, who needs a tennis ball inside a funnel? what is its practical application anyway?
 
  • #34
Capt. McCoy said:
i am really impressed by your reasons regarding this case...but seriously, who needs a tennis ball inside a funnel? what is its practical application anyway?

There is no practical application. I get a lot of free time at work because working on cars has turned into a boring and tedious job so I have plenty of time to think about random crap that will make no difference in my life.
 

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