You will need:
- Paper cup
- Water
- Carpeted area (beware, water might fall on it)
Create a simple fountain of water using paper cups and understand the science behind it.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Fill a paper cup with water, and place it on a carpeted area.
- Very gently, touch your fingers to the bottom of the cup and push the cup forward.
- Push it slowly at first and gradually increase the speed.
- Make sure you do not topple the cup over.
- What happens to the water inside the cup?
RESULT
As you start pushing the cup, the cup starts to vibrate due to the carpeted surface, which makes the cup slip and stick. This moves the water and creates small ripples on the surface. As the cup picks up speed, the ripples become waves which distort the cup creating more ripples and waves which begin to clash against one another. As these waves clash against one another, they converge at a circular point in the centre, creating kinetic energy. This kinetic energy in the centre pushes the water upwards. If this jet of water goes high enough then it breaks away from the rest of the water and shoots out like a fountain.
