22/5/2018 classical mechanics - Shape of water in rotating bucket - Physics Stack Exchange

Shape of water in rotating bucket

I need to show that the surface of water in a bucket rotating with constant angular velocity will have parabolic shape. I'm quite confused by this problem,
but here's what I did:

⃗  ⃗  ⃗  ⃗ 
⃗  − mgz
F cf + F grav = −∇U = m(Ω × r ) ^

where F cf
is the centrifugal force, F grav
is the force of gravity, U is potential energy, r ⃗ := (x, y, z) . So ∇U (z) = mg − mΩ z
2
, hence

1 2 2
U (z) = gmz − Ω z + C
2

which is a parabola.

In this approach I was trying to use the fact that the surface is equipotential for F cf
+ F grav . But apparently my approach doesn't quite hold any water.
Please give some suggestion on approaching this problem, as I have no other idea.

classical-mechanics reference-frames potential centrifugal-force

asked Nov 16 '16 at 22:35

sequence
265 3 10

2 Fun fact: The fact that a rotating bucket of liquid takes the shape of a parabola has very real applications Liquid Mirror. – pwcnorthrop Nov 16 '16 at 22:58

I once worked with a technician that previously worked for a company that fabricated parabolic reflectors in this manner using epoxy as the fluid. The hardened surface was afterwards
removed from the spinning fixture, polished and coated with aluminum. – docscience Nov 16 '16 at 23:09

I think my approach wasn't bad at all. I had simply forgotten that it is ∇⃗ U which is orthogonal to the surface, but not U itself. – sequence Nov 16 '16 at 23:10

related question here – Graviton Nov 17 '16 at 5:26

2 2

BTW, there is typo in your question. − instead of the same with z . – LRDPRDX Jan 10 '17 at 21:33
Ω r

4 Answers

Your potential energy function U (z) doesn't show at all that the water surface is parabolic. What you
need to find is the functional form of the rotating water surface, i.e. the surface height z as a function of
r in cylindrical coordinates r and z . (Because of rotational symmetry ϕ is not necessary.) The

centrifugal force is
2
F cf = mω r

and the gravitational force is

F grav = −mg

The water surface is orthogonal to the direction of the resultant force

⃗  ⃗  ⃗ 
F = F cf + F grav

Thus the slope of the water surface is

2
dz(r) |F cf | mω r
= =
dr |F grav | mg

From this we get by integration

1 2 2
z − z0 = ω r
2g

Thus we get indeed a parabolic surface in the rotating water in the bucket.

edited Nov 17 '16 at 5:07 answered Nov 17 '16 at 0:57

freecharly
13k 2 7 30

Consider the following cylindrical container with liquid to be rotating at uniform ω:

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Consider an infinitesimal liquid element dm at height h above the minimum of the parabola. The
forces acting on it are:

gdm

2
dF c = ω rdm

Consider the angle α:

2 2
dh Fc ω rdm ω r
tan α = = = =
dr gdm gdm g

This means that:

2
ω rdr − gdh = 0

Integrate this differenttial equation:

r h
2
∫ ω rdr = ∫ gdh
0 0

2 2
ω r
= gh
2

2 2
ω r
⟹ h =
2g

This is a quadratic parabola.

edited Nov 17 '16 at 0:48 answered Nov 16 '16 at 23:47

Sir Cumference Gert
187 1 7 20 16.9k 3 27 56

This problem has different solutions. One of them is to use the principal of stationary action. It is
convenient to use cylindrical coordinates:

⃗  ⃗ 
R = R (r, ϕ, z).

Let us consider water rotating like a whole body i.e. each small volume of water (blob) has the same
angular velocity Ω . Next step is to reduce this problem to a static problem. In order to attain this we
should take a look at water from reference frame which also rotates with angular velocity Ω . From that
point of view water is at rest. Then there are to forces acting on water: gravitational mg and centrifugal
mΩ r . What are a potentials of this forces? We assume that z -axis goes up and r -axis goes from z -axis.
2

Then
2 2
mΩ r
V gr = mgz, V cf = −
2

It is for you to check that the above potential cause right forces. Therefore water possess only potential
energy. Now we can write the action:
t2 2 2
ρΩ r
3 3
S = −∫ dt ∫ d r{ρgz − } = C onst ⋅ ∫ Ld r,
t1 vol
2 vol

where L is Lagrangian or Lagrangian density. But, of course, we must take into account that mass of
water M is conserved or
w
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∫ ρd r = Mw = C onst.
policies and terms. vol

In cylindrical coordinates the above integrals are (ρ = 1 )

R z(r) R
2 2 3
2π ⋅ ∫ rdr ∫ {. . . }dz = π ⋅ ∫ {gz r − Ω zr }dr
0 0 0

and
R z(r) R

2π ⋅ ∫ rdr ∫ dz = 2π ∫ rzdr
0 0 0

So we have variation problem with additional condition. It is easy to solve using Lagrange multipliers'
method. Necessary condition for S to have extrema with additional condition (about M ) is existing w

such multiplier λ that

d ∂G ∂G
− = 0,
dr ∂z
∂z
∂
∂r

where
2 2 3
G = gz r − Ω zr + λrz.

Eventually we get
2 3
2gzr − Ω r + λr = 0

or
2 2
Ω r
z(r) = − λ.
2g

Voila.

edited Jan 10 '17 at 21:34 answered Jan 10 '17 at 20:56

LRDPRDX
328 2 8

I'm pretty late to the question but I think I know a simpler way. You can solve this really easily with
2 2

conservation of energy, the kinetic energy of a circle of water at a constant radius is , in a mr Ω

idealised system the energy has nowhere else to go but increasing the waters gravitational potential
2 2 2 2

energy, so mgz =
mr Ω

2
or z =
r Ω

2g
.

answered Apr 4 at 22:14

InnerDuckProd
26 4

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