Sewage systems rely on gravity to remove waste from our homes and carry it toward treatment plants. But that constant downward slope can’t always be maintained. Sometimes we have to Keep reading
Tag: gravity-driven flow
Using Electric Fields to Avoid Dripping
Anyone who’s painted a room at home is familiar with the frustration of drips. At certain inclinations, practically every viscous liquid develops these gravity-driven instabilities. They’re troublesome in manufacturing as Keep reading
Lava Flowing
Lava flows like these Hawaii’an ones are endlessly mesmerizing. This type of flow is gravity-driven; rather than being pushed by explosive pressure, the lava flows under its own weight and Keep reading
Glaciers in Motion
To the naked eye, glaciers don’t appear to move much, but appearances can be deceiving. Like avalanches and turbidity currents, glaciers flow under the influence of gravity. They typically move Keep reading
Underwater Landslides
Turbidity currents are a gravity-driven, sediment-laden flow, like a landslide or avalanche that occurs underwater. They are extremely turbulent flows with a well-defined leading edge, called a head. Turbidity currents Keep reading
Triggering Avalanches
Humans often trigger avalanches purposefully before natural ones can occur. Either way, avalanches begin when external stresses on the snow pack exceed the strength within the snow pack or at Keep reading
Landslide
Landslides, despite their inclusion of solid materials, function essentially as gravity-driven fluid flows. This timelapse video shows a recent earthflow in Wyoming near the Snake River. Rapid snowmelt and heavy Keep reading
Avalanche Disk
In the Science Storms section of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, you’ll find the mesmerizing sight of an avalanche disk. This 20ft disk spins at a variable rate Keep reading