Johanna+Reck

The Not so Simple Splash A ball is dropped into a body of water beneath it. With our eyes, we see the ball splash as it hits the water. Air bubbles surround the ball and then float to the top while the ball falls to the bottom of the container. Gravity is a force that acts on all objects and causes the to fall downward. Since water is below the ball, it falls into the water. Once it hits the water, a splash occurs. A splash is, more scientifically, a jet or any fast moving collum of Material. This initial splash happens because every action has an equal and opposite reaction, according to Newton's third Law. Because the ball is falling downward onto the water, the water will go up with as much force on the air as the ball had on the water. There is a positive correlation between the downward caving motion and the height of the splash, because the downward plunging motion causes the jet. Behind the ball, is air which fills the cavity created by the path of the ball. Pressure from the water causes the cavity to collapse and become more narrow in the middle of the cavity. The pressure forces the air to move upward as a supersonic jet. Then water begins to fill the cavity. When the cavity pinches, we hear 'kerplop'. As the ball descends, two jets form. One moves upward, the other downward. __**Physics Concepts: Gravity, Pressure, Newton's Laws of Motion**__     Works Cited Gekle, S., et al. //High-Speed Video Reveals Physics of Splashes//. Flora Lichtman. //NPR//. PBS, 6 Feb. 2009. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. Lathrop, Daniel P. “Viewpoint: Making a Supersonic Jet in Your Kitchen.” //American Physics Society// (Jan. 2011): n. pag. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. Orcutt, Mike. “Kerplop! The Physics of a Cannonball Splash.” //Popular Mechanics//. Hearst Communications, 21 July 2010. Web. 17 Dec. 2011. Truscout, Tadd T. //The Anatomy of a Splash: High-Speed Photo Gallery//. N.d. //Popular Mechanics//. Hearst Communications, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2011.