Surface of a rotating liquid

In summary: I'd have to work through the math again to be sure. But the general idea is that you have to consider both the force from gravity and the force from centripetal acceleration.
  • #1
mrojc
12
0

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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  • #2
The height is an answer to the problem, so what more do you want to do?
 
  • #3
So you don't need to calculate another answer using the 14.5 cm?
 
  • #4
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.
 
  • #5
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.
 
  • #6
  • #7
mrojc said:
@DuckAmuck I converted it to rad/s
my bad, i read "rad" as "rev".
 
  • #8
So I get a depression can be characterized as w^2 R^2 /4g, which results in 0.65 cm.
 
  • #9
@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:

1. What causes the surface of a rotating liquid to form a concave shape?

The surface of a rotating liquid forms a concave shape due to centripetal force, which pulls the liquid towards the center of rotation. This causes the liquid to rise at the edges and create a depression in the center.

2. How does the rotation speed affect the shape of the liquid's surface?

The faster the rotation speed, the more pronounced the concave shape of the liquid's surface will be. This is because the centripetal force increases with higher speeds, pulling the liquid towards the center with greater force.

3. What is the Coriolis effect and how does it impact the surface of a rotating liquid?

The Coriolis effect is a phenomenon where objects moving in a rotating frame of reference experience an apparent force perpendicular to their direction of motion. In the case of a rotating liquid, this leads to the formation of circular currents, causing the surface to ripple and form patterns.

4. How does the shape of the container affect the surface of a rotating liquid?

The shape of the container can impact the surface of a rotating liquid in several ways. A wider and shallower container will result in a flatter surface, while a narrower and deeper container will have a more pronounced concave shape. Additionally, irregularly shaped containers can lead to uneven distribution of centripetal force, causing distortions in the surface.

5. Can the surface of a rotating liquid be used to measure the rotation rate of the container?

Yes, the shape of the surface of a rotating liquid can be used to determine the rotation rate of the container. By measuring the depth of the concave shape and knowing the properties of the liquid, the rotation rate can be calculated using the equation for centripetal force.

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