Ever wonder how a gas pump shuts off when the tank is full? You might guess that there’s a sophisticated electronic sensor hidden in there. But there isn’t! Gas pumps Keep reading
Tag: bernoulli
Lift Over Wings
One of the most vexing topics for fluid dynamicists and their audiences is the subject of how wings generate lift. As discussed in the video above, there are a number Keep reading
Venturi Splashes
Diving can generate some remarkable splashes. Here researchers explore the splashes from a wedge-shaped impactor. At high speeds, they found that the splash sheet pushed out by the wedge curls Keep reading
The Kamifusen
The kamifusen is a traditional Japanese toy made of colorful paper. It resembles a beach ball, but unlike that toy, the kamifusen has an open hole at one end. Given Keep reading
Inside Singing
These are the vocal folds of a woman singing. Human speech (and song) results from interactions between elastic muscles and aerodynamics. As we exhale, the vocal folds are initially pushed Keep reading
Crash Course Fluids
Crash Course Physics returns to the subject of fluids with their video on fluid dynamics. They stick with ideal fluids (i.e. incompressible, inviscid, laminar flows) for simplicity and cover some Keep reading
Prairie Dog Physics
One challenge facing burrowing mammals is ensuring sufficient oxygen within their den. Prairie dogs achieve this with a clever use of Bernoulli’s principle. They build multiple entrances to their tunnels. Keep reading
Meander from Above
This photo of the Amazon River taken by Astronaut Tim Kopra reveals the many meandering changes of the river’s course. Left untouched by human intervention, rivers tend to get more Keep reading
“En Plein Vol”
Artist Antoine Terrieux’s “En Plein Vol” exhibit shows off the power of hair dryers. Parts of the exhibit, like the floating ball at 0:16, rely on Bernoulli’s principle and the Keep reading
Frisbee Physics
Frisbees are a popular summertime toy, but they involve some pretty neat physics, too. Two key ingredients to their long flight times are their lift generation and spin. A frisbee Keep reading