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What I was wondering is this. If I had a tube with water in it, with one end open and the other with a piston-like device attached to it, I can imagine that if I was to give the water a pulse, this would transmit down the tube as a mechanical wave as particles collide with each other - something like sound.

But if we picture a scenario where instead of a pulse, I begin moving the piston down the tube at a constant velocity, what would the motion of the particles look like? Also what would this look like with air?

User Marcote
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Final Answer:

Water Scenario: If you move the piston down the tube at a constant velocity, the motion of the water particles will result in a laminar flow, where layers of water slide over each other smoothly without turbulent mixing.

Air Scenario: Similar to the water scenario, moving the piston through the tube with a constant velocity in air would also lead to a laminar flow of air particles, causing layers of air to slide past each other without turbulence.

Step-by-step explanation:

Water Scenario:

Moving the piston down the tube at a constant velocity in the water scenario would create a steady flow. As the piston moves, it imparts kinetic energy to the water molecules, causing them to move in the direction of the piston. Due to viscosity, adjacent layers of water will move at different speeds, with the fastest speed at the center where the piston is moving. This results in a laminar flow pattern, characterized by smooth layers of water moving parallel to the direction of the piston.

Air Scenario:

In the air scenario, the motion of the piston through the tube at a constant velocity would similarly generate a laminar flow. The air particles closest to the piston would move fastest, and the layers of air would slide past each other with minimal mixing. This laminar flow contrasts with the turbulent flow seen in scenarios involving abrupt pulses or disturbances.

In both cases, the constant motion of the piston creates ordered particle movement, resembling laminar flows commonly observed in fluid dynamics.

User Paaacman
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