- #1
wahaj
- 156
- 2
To experiment with conservation of linear momentum I did lab where a jet of water is shot at a flat plate and a hemispherical cup. After simplification the final equation for the theoretical force came out to be
[tex]F_t= \dot{m}V(1-cos \beta) [/tex]
where [itex]\dot{m}[/itex] is the mass flow rate of water and V is the velocity of water hitting the surface. [itex]\beta[/itex] is the angle at which the water deflects off of the surface. For the flat plate is was 90 and for the cup it was 180. I have a hard time physically interpreting how the angle of deflection determines the force of the water. In both cases the same amount of water is hitting both surfaces with the same velocity at the same angle (which would be vertically upwards in this case). So why does the angle of deflection determine the force applied by the water?
[tex]F_t= \dot{m}V(1-cos \beta) [/tex]
where [itex]\dot{m}[/itex] is the mass flow rate of water and V is the velocity of water hitting the surface. [itex]\beta[/itex] is the angle at which the water deflects off of the surface. For the flat plate is was 90 and for the cup it was 180. I have a hard time physically interpreting how the angle of deflection determines the force of the water. In both cases the same amount of water is hitting both surfaces with the same velocity at the same angle (which would be vertically upwards in this case). So why does the angle of deflection determine the force applied by the water?