9/21/2008

professor tj?


crazy water balls from Daniel Rudd on Vimeo.

4 comments:

TJ said...

water is a miraculous compound. It has so many properties that we take for granted, that if slightly altered, would not allow life as we know it to exist.
For example, if ice were the same density (or more dense) that liquid water, we would not have any liquid water on the planet. Water is less dense as a solid because it is a very polar molecule. This also allows water to be a great solvent. Water is also a very cohesive molecule. This leads to a high surface tension, which caused the crazy actions in the video, and lets water rise through the xylem and phloem.
The hot (and slippery) pan allowed the water molecule to attach to each other (cohesion) instead of to the pan (adhesion). With the addition of a little lubrication, the water molecules zip and zoom around the pan. The heat from the pan causing the water to evaporate also acts like little jets pushing the drops around.
The water droplets split apart when hitting the side of the pan and continue to move because the pan was lubricated. The water molecules join back together when near each other because of the cohesion.

thanks for your confidence in my ability to explain such a cool thing.

Kate Rudd said...

well.
i am informed and duly impressed.
thanks for taking the time to post this, tj.

:)

Lindsey said...

I am confused. . .and impressed. I cannot believe he can talk about another man's balls with such accuracy and authority. Did you know that he wants to wear a pocket protector, but i strongly ask that he doesn't?

Daniel Rudd said...

please lindsey, don't hold him back... :)