The Mystery Behind the Fan's Circular Motion

AI Thread Summary
When a finger is placed in the center of a fan, it experiences a larger circular motion due to the movement of the fan blades around it. The center of the fan is a fixed point, while the blades are in motion, creating a larger radius for the finger's tip. Friction can cause the finger to shift slightly from the exact center, contributing to the circular motion observed. Pressing the finger firmly against the center minimizes movement, demonstrating the relationship between the fan's rotation and the position of the finger. Understanding this concept highlights the dynamics of rotational motion in fans.
unique_pavadrin
Messages
100
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Hey just a quick question that bothering me:

how come when u stick your finger in the middle of the fan and let it move it goes in a larger circle?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Only the centre of the fan is not moving. But that's a one dimensional point. All other points on the fan are moving. The tip of your finger is a 2-d surface. Generally, due to friction, your finger will get shifted ever so slightly from the exact centre, and so you'll see it going around in a circle.

If you press it hard against the centre, you'll see it doesn't move much. But don't try it.
 
okay thanks makes sence
 
Kindly see the attached pdf. My attempt to solve it, is in it. I'm wondering if my solution is right. My idea is this: At any point of time, the ball may be assumed to be at an incline which is at an angle of θ(kindly see both the pics in the pdf file). The value of θ will continuously change and so will the value of friction. I'm not able to figure out, why my solution is wrong, if it is wrong .
TL;DR Summary: I came across this question from a Sri Lankan A-level textbook. Question - An ice cube with a length of 10 cm is immersed in water at 0 °C. An observer observes the ice cube from the water, and it seems to be 7.75 cm long. If the refractive index of water is 4/3, find the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. I could not understand how the apparent height of the ice cube in the water depends on the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. Does anyone have an...

Similar threads

Back
Top