Why water become thinner when falling?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of water becoming "thinner" when falling, exploring the relationship between volumetric flow rate, speed, and the behavior of water as it descends from a height. The scope includes conceptual reasoning and some technical explanations related to fluid dynamics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions why water becomes thinner when falling, seeking clarification on the underlying mechanics.
  • Another participant suggests that the volumetric flow rate remains constant while the speed of the water increases due to gravitational acceleration.
  • A subsequent post challenges the assumption of constant volumetric flow rate, asking for justification of why it should not change if the faucet remains untouched.
  • Further clarification is provided that "volumetric flow" refers to the amount of water flowing per unit time, which is asserted to remain unchanged as the water falls.
  • One participant introduces a scenario where water falls from a large height, prompting a question about the behavior of water molecules in that context.
  • Another participant responds by noting that water separates into droplets when falling from a height, attributing this to surface tension effects.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the constancy of volumetric flow rate and its implications, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain without a consensus on the explanations provided.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about fluid behavior under gravity and the effects of surface tension, but these are not fully resolved or detailed, leaving some aspects open to interpretation.

pandaphysics
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
why water become thinner when falling?
thanks guys.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
pandaphysics said:
why water become thinner when falling?

Because it becomes faster whereas the volumetric flow rate remains constant.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: pandaphysics
thanks but,
why volumetric flow rate is constant?
 
"Volumetric flow" is the amount of water coming out of the faucet in a given time. That does not change. But as the water falls, its acceleration is, of course, g so that its speed is constantly increasing.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: pandaphysics
if water fall from a large height what happen?(molecules very close to each other)
 
pandaphysics said:
if water fall from a large height what happen?(molecules very close to each other)
You can see it in your sink or a waterfall: the water separates into droplets due to surface tension.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: pandaphysics

Similar threads

High School Time to fall from 200 miles
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
High School Why does increasing the height of a water tower increase water pressure?
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
7K
High School Pumping water upwards into a large water tank
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
High School Is water pressure on an inclined wall less than the weight of the water?
  • · Replies 31 ·
2
Replies
31
Views
2K
High School Does Mass Matter in Free Fall?
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
High School Water doesn’t fall in inverted half cup
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Undergrad Collision when a falling tank impacts the surface of a lake
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
High School How Does Liquid Density and Viscosity Influence Free Fall Braking?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Undergrad Filling a pool with the hose end above or in the water
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
4K
High School Will there be water coming out of the last hole?
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
2K