Re: water column

Date: Wed Aug 12 22:01:16 1998
Posted By: Moataz Attallah, Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering, American University in Cairo
Area of science: Physics
ID: 900243291.Ph

Message:

Dear friend,

I thought that your question has to do with anything of Physics. However, I discovered it has to do with a vision of the way water comes from the tap. I think you have an idea about the method of tap operation. When you move the tap head, it opens a valve. When you close the tap, the valve is closed. Thus the meaning of your question why water starts to come in drops when we get close to the tap close end. This part is really Physics, or as a matter of fact Fluid Mechanics. There is something called a rate of flow. This rate is the one that governs the motion of incompressible fluids (normally liquids) inside pipes. I can visualize it using this analogy. If you have a water pipe and this water pipe has a variable cross-sectional area. Say that the ratio between the input and output ends areas is 2:1. Then the ration between the input water speed to the output will be 1:2. You make the same thing with a hose; when you want to increase the speed, you just place your finger firmly and decrease the cross sectional area.

Let’s return back to the tap. When you close the tap, you are saying for the water stream to stop. Hence it will start to build some sort of pressure on the valve. This pressure is dissipated simply through the drops you see.

That’s all. Waiting for more inquiries.

Moataz Attallah

The American University in Cairo Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Email:Mizoa@aucegypt.edu

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