Harry Houdini's Escape Project

In summary, the conversation discusses a project that involves reliving a trick by famous escape artist Harry Houdini. The project involves finding the height of a concrete block for Houdini to stand on as he attempts to escape from shackles before being drowned by rising water in a flask. The volume of water in the flask is a function of the height of the liquid above ground level, and Houdini derives an equation to track the progress of his escape. The conversation also mentions generalizing the derivation for a flask with an arbitrary function of z and a constant inflow rate.
  • #1
Pixleateit
5
0
Anyone know how to do this? I'm in a bit of a pickle trying to solve it :confused:

Harry Houdini (1874-1926) was a famous escape artist. In this project we relive a trick of his that challenged his mathematical prowess, as well as his skill and bravery. It will challenge these qualities in you as well.

Houdini had his feet shackled to the top of a concrete block which was placed on the bottom of a giant laboratory flask. The cross-sectional radius of the flask, measured in feet, was given as a function of height z from the ground by the formula


r(z)=(10)/(square-root(z))
with the bottom of the flask at z=1 foot. The flask was then filled with water at a steady rate of 22 cubic feet per minute. Houdini's job was to escape the shackled before he was drowned by the rising water in the flask.

Now Houdini knew it would take him exactly ten minutes to escape the shackles. For dramatic impact, he wanted to time his escape so it was completed precisely at the moment the water level reached the top of his head. Houdini was exactly six feet tall.

In the design of the apparatus, he was allowed to specify only one thing: the height of the concrete block he stood on.


Your first task is to find out how high this block should be. Express the volume of water in the flask as a function of the height of the liquid above the ground level. What is the volume when the water level reaches the top of Houdini's head? (Neglect Houdini's volume and the volume of the block) What should the height of the block be?

Let h(t) be the height of the water above ground level at time t. In order to check the progress of his escape moment by moment, Houdini derives the equation for the rate of change dh/dt as a function of h(t) itself. Derive this equation. How fast is the water level changing when the flask first starts to fill? How fast is it changing when the water just reaches the top of his head? Express h(t) as a function of time.

Houdini would like to be able to perform this trick with any flask. Help him plan his next trick by generalizing the derivation of part (b). Consider a flask with cross sectional radius r(z) (an arbitrary function of z) and a constant inflow rate dV(t)/dt = A. Find dh/dt as a function of h(t).
 
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  • #2
Good question. But you appear to have only posed the question, not attempted to solve it. Did you forget to post what you have done on this yourself?
 

Related to Harry Houdini's Escape Project

What is the "Harry Houdini's Escape Project"?

The "Harry Houdini's Escape Project" is a scientific project based on the famous escape artist, Harry Houdini, and his escape techniques. It involves studying his methods and attempting to replicate them in controlled experiments.

How did the idea for this project come about?

The idea for this project came about from the fascination with Harry Houdini and his incredible ability to escape from seemingly impossible situations. It also stemmed from the desire to understand the science behind his escapes and the physical and psychological techniques he used.

What is the main goal of the project?

The main goal of the project is to gain a better understanding of the science behind Harry Houdini's escape techniques and to potentially uncover any new insights or methods that could be applied in other areas.

What is the methodology used in this project?

The methodology used in this project involves studying historical records, videos, and other resources to understand Houdini's techniques. It also involves conducting controlled experiments to test and analyze these techniques in a scientific manner.

What are some potential applications of the findings from this project?

The findings from this project could have various applications in areas such as escape rooms, magic performances, and even in emergency situations where the ability to escape quickly and efficiently could be crucial. Additionally, the project could also contribute to the understanding of human physiology and psychology in high-stress situations.

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