• Question: What is Bernouilli's equation ( you mentioned it in an answer to another question)?

    Asked by hannahgrimes to Alex, Chris, Harriet, Jed, Ken on 15 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Ken Gibbs

      Ken Gibbs answered on 15 Mar 2012:

      Put simply, Bernouilli said that the total energy of water is made up of three types. There is energy of position (is it high or is it low ?); there is energy of pressure (the more pressure, the bigger the pop when it breaks); and the energy of speed or motion (like, have you ever tried to stop an express train ? It tends to push you to one side)

      These three bits when added together remain the same even when you change one or more of the bits of energy. Like, you can turn energy of pressure into energy of position or speed (check out Le jet d’eau in Geneva on Lac Leman) but the total energy remains the same as before.

      Unless of course there is some friction . . . . . . .but that is for your college or university course.

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