How do divers make zero splash?
In: Physics
They do not make zero splash, just not a lot of splash.
The amount depends on the body’s position and how it changes both when it hit the water and when they are underwater.
You can see a 6 minute video about just that [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GqWTqDhahM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GqWTqDhahM)
The basic idea is to make a hole in the water, and get your entire body through it.
The smaller the hole, the less water moved, the smaller the splash.
Divers break the surface of the water using the smallest point they can, a pointed finger or toe, with their body in a position that makes them as smooth and streamlined as possible. Once underwater, the arms and legs splay out to create more resistance and stop them before hitting the bottom of the pool.
The perfect body position is useless if you land in a belly flop, they also need to land at the perfect angle. Being off in any direction means your body will hit the edge of the hole, making the hole bigger, making a bigger splash.
If you want to make a big splash, you do the opposite. Cannonballs make you wide, can openers make you long, both are maximizing how big a hole you make.
Besides posture, ever notice the sprinklers spraying water underneath the diving board? They break up the surface tension of the water, making it “softer” and reducing splash.
Mainly by being boring.
Joking aside, it’s a diving technique called a “Rip Entry”. It involves a stiff vertical body posture and specific hand placement (one on top of the other with flat palms). Once in the water they immediately spread out their arms to minimize bubbles while simultaneously bending at the waste (which also disperses bubbles).
All this combines gives you that amazing near-zero splash dive.
The same way a needle can puncture paper without leaving a hole larger than the needle. But punch a hole through paper with your fist and there’s a larger hole because there’s more surface area on contact requiring to displace more material.
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