It seems every picture of a sinkhole shows a perfectly round home in the ground. I understand how sinkholes form, but why wouldn’t they also form in oblong or more abstract shapes?
In: 16
If you expand every part of a shape, it will resemble a circle more and more. If you draw an X, it’s not a circle. If you now take a slightly thicker pen and trace the X, then thicker again, eventually you will end up with something much closer to a circle than an X. As water wears down the edge of the hole more and more, it will eventually become a circle, or at least something that is close enough
If you expand every part of a shape, it will resemble a circle more and more. If you draw an X, it’s not a circle. If you now take a slightly thicker pen and trace the X, then thicker again, eventually you will end up with something much closer to a circle than an X. As water wears down the edge of the hole more and more, it will eventually become a circle, or at least something that is close enough
Imagine a square sinkhole.
The corners would be quite strong, they’re supported on either side, but the middles of the edges would be very liable to collapse inwards.
If you imagine pretty much any non circular shape, it will have weaknesses that will cause it to crumble *towards* a circle.
The circle is the “natural” shape because every point around the side is equally strong, so it will continue to hold its shape.
Imagine a square sinkhole.
The corners would be quite strong, they’re supported on either side, but the middles of the edges would be very liable to collapse inwards.
If you imagine pretty much any non circular shape, it will have weaknesses that will cause it to crumble *towards* a circle.
The circle is the “natural” shape because every point around the side is equally strong, so it will continue to hold its shape.
Because if it was any other shape than the round, there is a chance it can fall down the sinkhole.
Suppose there is a square sinkhole. The diagonals are longer than the sides, if the lid was removed and placed incorrectly, the square sides might fall in the diagonal space down the hole.
This doesn’t happen for round sinkholes since all the sides are of equal length.
Because if it was any other shape than the round, there is a chance it can fall down the sinkhole.
Suppose there is a square sinkhole. The diagonals are longer than the sides, if the lid was removed and placed incorrectly, the square sides might fall in the diagonal space down the hole.
This doesn’t happen for round sinkholes since all the sides are of equal length.
Latest Answers