Water Pressure and Equilibrium in Underwater Cylinders

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the behavior of water pressure in a theoretical scenario involving a cylinder submerged in the ocean and a bucket placed within it. Participants explore the implications of removing the bottom of the cylinder and how water pressure affects the bucket's position and height required to maintain equilibrium.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes a scenario where an empty cylinder is submerged 100 meters underwater, and questions what happens if the bottom is removed while a bucket is placed inside it.
  • Another participant seeks clarification on whether the bucket is open-ended and positioned within the cylinder.
  • There is a suggestion that if the ocean can support a 100-meter tall column of water, the height of the bucket filled with water would need to match this to prevent it from being pushed up by water pressure.
  • A later reply confirms the assumption that the bucket would need to be 100 meters tall to counteract the water pressure at that depth.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the theoretical requirement for the bucket's height to match the water column at 100 meters, but the discussion remains exploratory without a definitive conclusion.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not address the weight of the bucket itself or any additional factors that may influence the scenario, leaving some assumptions unexamined.

gloo
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theoritically, if an empty cylinder (say 2 meters diameter) was pushed down 100 meters in the ocean and held there in equilibrium (not moving up or down), and the bottom was cut out, the water would rush up to fill the cylinder to a the same level as the ocean surface. What if there was a bucket of water that was just slightly smaller than the 2 meter diameter of the cylinder (so the water in the cylnder will not escape through over the bucket) lowered into the bottom (100 meters down), and the bottom was removed. Would the pressure of water at 100 meters push the bucket up?? How tall would the bucket have to be (filled with water), to stop the water pressure from pushing the bucket up?

thanks
 
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What would be your guess?
 
meaning that the bucket is in the cylinder? and the bucket is "open ended"?
 
Yes open at the top to the air.
 
Well, what do you think the answer is? From your first post, I think you could hazard a guess. If the ocean could support a column of water 100 m tall, would it really matter that the water is contained in a bucket? (Assuming we can ignore the weight of the bucket itself.)
 
well Doc, i guess you are saying the bucket will be 100 meters.
 
Yep. Does that make sense to you?
 
yes, thanks your time.
 

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