| MadSci Network: Physics |
Hi Arnie,
Once the stream of water is going, there is the same volume of water
passing through every height in every instant. This has to be true, or else
we'd see water piling up somewhere along the way. As a consequence, if you
put your hand into the stream, it doesn't matter whether you're close to
the faucet or not, you'll feel the same force from the water. This force
will be a combination of the weight of the water and the pressure that the
water was under as it left the faucet.
You mention turning the faucet on. At the instant when you turn it on,
there is only force at the top - since there's no water down below. The
water very quickly reaches the state I discussed above.
I hope this answers your question. If you'd like to learn more about how
faucets work click here.
Cheers,
Tetjana
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Physics.