eli5 If you have a large tank of water on a wheeled stand, and you poked a hole in the side, it should roll forward to conserve momentum. But how does the water transfer that motion to the tank?

Question

eli5 If you have a large tank of water on a wheeled stand, and you poked a hole in the side, it should roll forward to conserve momentum. But how does the water transfer that motion to the tank?

In: 4

Answer 1

Gravity is constantly pulling the water down. We call this force the “static pressure”. You can think of this like the “potential energy” of the water in elementary physics. When you open that container that potential energy is converted into kinetic energy as the force of gravity pulling the water down pushes it out of the opening.

Of course, newtons laws of motion apply and in order or it to be pushed out it must also push against the tank with an equal amount of force.