The discussion revolves around a scenario where a bucket filled with water, having a hole on its side, is dropped freely. Participants are exploring whether the water will flow out of the bucket during free fall and the nature of its trajectory, questioning if it will be parabolic or linear under the assumption of no air resistance and hydrodynamic effects.
The discussion is ongoing, with various interpretations being explored regarding the behavior of water in free fall. Some participants offer insights into the physics involved, while others express uncertainty about the outcomes and the conditions affecting the water's trajectory.
Participants are considering factors such as the size of the hole, the shape of the bucket, and the cohesive forces within the water. There is also mention of the need for clarity on the definitions of terms like 'extrusion' and how these might affect the water's behavior.
Rakshit Joshi said:There is a situation that a bucket which is full of water and has a hole at the side is let to fall freely. Will the water flow out of the bucket? And if it does, will its path be parabolic or linear? Assume that there is no air and hydrodynamics is working. Full detailed answer would be appreciated.
Why would it continue to be extruded, rather than just produce a hemispherical bulge?NTW said:Gravitational force disappears in a free-falling frame of reference, and in the absence of gravitational force, only one force remain: the cohesive force of attraction between water molecules. Hence, the mass of water will tend to acquire a spherical form. In so doing, constrained by the cylindrical or conical walls of the bucket, and its flat bottom, some water might be 'extruded' through the hole... For a stationary, non free-falling observer, the trajectory of the 'extruded jet' would be parabolic. For a free-falling observer, the extruded jet would move in straight line...