Gravity-Defying Water

Introduction

Can you turn a cup of water upside-down without the water pouring out? Sounds impossible, right? This project will show you how you can do it using a neat physics trick!

Background

Have you ever gone around a fast curve while riding in a car? Did you notice how it feels like you are being "pushed" to the outside of the curve? You are not actually being pushed – rather, your body "wants" to continue traveling in a straight line (this is called inertia). However, your seat belt and the friction of the seat against your body pull you along with the car when it turns. These forces that make your body turn instead of continuing to go straight are called centripetal force.

So, that works when you go around a horizontal curve in a car. What happens if you go through a vertical curve, like a roller coaster loop? In a roller coaster, all riders are strapped in for extra safety. However, there are plenty of examples where things go through vertical loops without being strapped in – like a toy race car or marble on a track. What prevents them from falling down when they reach the top of the loop? The same concepts apply. The toy car has inertia because it is moving, so it "wants" to keep moving in a straight line. However, the curved track pushes on the car's tires (providing a centripetal force), forcing it to move in a loop instead of going straight. If the car is moving fast enough, it will speed through the loop without ever losing contact with the track. However, if it is going too slowly, it will not have enough inertia, and it will fall before it makes it through the loop.

It turns out that you can also apply this exact same concept to liquids! If you fill a cup with water and tie it to a string, you can spin the cup around in a horizontal or vertical circle. As long as you spin it fast enough, the water will not spill out! Still don't believe it? Try the procedure below to prove it to yourself!

Materials

Preparation

Procedure

Observations and Results

As long as you only fill the cup about halfway, you should be able to twirl the cup in a horizontal circle, and then transition to a vertical circle, without spilling any water. It can be difficult to go directly to a vertical circle because the cup might not be going fast enough on the first loop to prevent water from spilling out. If you fill the cup with too much water, it can also be difficult to prevent some water from spilling.

More to Explore

• Centripetal Force, a science project idea, from Science Buddies
• Science Activities for All Ages!, from Science Buddies
• Centripetal Force, from Hyperphysics

Credits