Why does water or balls spill out ?

[Sunanda Goh]

I know, this is a very stupid question, but it troubles me the whole day and i can't figure it out.
Why can't water remains its shape if the cup is being removed and the water will spill all over the table ?
And if you fill your car with full of small balls and when you open the door of your car, the balls spill out too ?
Is it Gravity or ? But isn't gravity a downward force ?
Forgive me stupidity

 

[Bystander]

There is a "tendency" for net reduction of potential energy (height above ground level).

 

[SteamKing]

I know, this is a very stupid question, but it troubles me the whole day and i can't figure it out.
Why can't water remains its shape if the cup is being removed and the water will spill all over the table ?
And if you fill your car with full of small balls and when you open the door of your car, the balls spill out too ?
Is it Gravity or ? But isn't gravity a downward force ?
Forgive me stupidity

What's the matter with gravity being a downward force? Do the balls spill out of your car in an upward direction when you open the door?

 

[Sunanda Goh]

What's the matter with gravity being a downward force? Do the balls spill out of your car in an upward direction when you open the door?

Nope. That's why I'm asking if it's Gravity.

 

[russ_watters]

Is it Gravity or ? But isn't gravity a downward force ?

Yes, but consider a ramp. The downward force of gravity has components both perpendicular to the ramp and parallel to it, pulling the object down the ramp.
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/vectors/Lesson-3/Inclined-Planes

 

[DaveC426913]

You might be interested in reading about angle of repose.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angle_of_repose

Every material has its distinct angle of repose - as any sand castle builder knows.
I encountered this yesterday, while trying to dig down into the blown cellulose insulation in my attic.

Water has an AR of 0. :)
Round balls would have a variable AR, depending on how orderly-stacked they might be.

 

[Sunanda Goh]

You might be interested in reading about angle of repose.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angle_of_repose

Every material has its distinct angle of repose - as any sand castle builder knows.
I encountered this yesterday, while trying to dig down into the blown cellulose insulation in my attic.

Water has an AR of 0. :)
Round balls would have a variable AR, depending on how orderly-stacked they might be.

Woah ! Thanks !

 

[Svein]

Or you could just say Entropy - the universe tends towards equilibrium in all things.