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Liquid In Spinning Sphere

Purpose

To show the behavior of a liquid when subjected to a centripetal force.

Equipment

Rotator with sphere and colored water.

Suggestions

Rotate sphere slowly to achieve this effect.

Images

f4-21

Description

When the sphere is rotated, the water leaves the bottom of the sphere and forms a band in the middle of the sphere, due to the reaction to the centripetal force.

References

Lecture Demonstration Information Sheet. ◙D. James Baker, Jr., Demonstrations of Fluid Flow in a Rotating System, AJP 32, 647-652 (1966).