This is pretty cool video, I've been doing it for awhile now but I really wanted an explanation why it worked and this video shows why.
It's a cool trick to pull off, I normally use the tube of a pen with ends unscrewed. I also have a water version where I direct the water from the faucet with a rubber pipe. It is mad fun but you get water all over the place.

Well try it out haha.

EsX_Raptor

United States2802 Posts

September 28 2009 20:55 GMT

i used to do this all the time with a blow dryer hahaha

i think the ball stays in its place because of the high speed winds that blow past it, same effect you feel when a car runs by you while you're stopped and you feel your car move towards it. the wind blows all around the ball creating a difference in pressure in the center of the blow dryer which keeps the ball in its place.

but i could be wrong ofc

my 2c

andiCR

Costa Rica2273 Posts

September 28 2009 21:12 GMT

haha will do

would like to see the water version :O

micronesia

United States24752 Posts

September 28 2009 21:18 GMT

evanthebouncy!, that explanation in the video was actually pretty good. In addition to the koanda effect, the magnus effect applies to the ping pong ball example. The air does not flow symmetrically around the ping pong ball. It 'chooses' a direction and flows around the ball with one general orientation. As a result, the ball does not sit perfectly in the center of the jet of air... it is actually off center.

I'm surprised they didn't fuck this up with attempts to use the bernouli effect to describe this...

Klockan3

Sweden2866 Posts

September 28 2009 21:24 GMT

On September 29 2009 06:18 micronesia wrote:
I'm surprised they didn't fuck this up with attempts to use the bernouli effect to describe this...

Did you know that it is the bernouli effect that causes the universe to accelerate its expansion? Since the stars are moving faster the further away they are, then the pressure must be lower according to the bernouli effect and thus we will have a net force in those directions creating the accelerating effect.

evanthebouncy!

United States12796 Posts

September 28 2009 22:00 GMT

On September 29 2009 06:18 micronesia wrote:
evanthebouncy!, that explanation in the video was actually pretty good. In addition to the koanda effect, the magnus effect applies to the ping pong ball example. The air does not flow symmetrically around the ping pong ball. It 'chooses' a direction and flows around the ball with one general orientation. As a result, the ball does not sit perfectly in the center of the jet of air... it is actually off center.

I'm surprised they didn't fuck this up with attempts to use the bernouli effect to describe this...

huh I was gonna use Bernuli to explain lol, what's wrong with it >_>

kekekekyle

Canada32 Posts

September 28 2009 22:02 GMT

On September 29 2009 06:24 Klockan3 wrote:

Show nested quote +

I don't quite understand this. Isn't Bernoulli's principle only valid for fluids? What does the velocity of stars have to do with anything? And isn't the pressure in space close to zero?

micronesia

United States24752 Posts

September 28 2009 22:28 GMT

On September 29 2009 07:00 evanthebouncy! wrote:

Show nested quote +

huh I was gonna use Bernuli to explain lol, what's wrong with it >_>

It is often used to explain things incorrectly. The Effect in and of itself is fine and valid, but it's easy to confuse how it can be applied to situations.

Chill

Calgary25991 Posts

September 28 2009 22:39 GMT

On September 29 2009 07:02 kekekekyle wrote:

Show nested quote +

I don't quite understand this. Isn't Bernoulli's principle only valid for fluids? What does the velocity of stars have to do with anything? And isn't the pressure in space close to zero?

Seriously. I don't understand this explanation at all. Since when is the universe pressurized?

micronesia

United States24752 Posts

September 28 2009 22:40 GMT

#10

I think Klockan3 was just sympathizing with my complaints about how people use the Bernoulli Effect. Klockan3, has anyone ever actually fed you that explanation?