Question

Why is the following situation impossible? Figure P14.12 shows Superman attempting to drink cold water through a straw of length $\ell=12.0 \mathrm{m} .$ The walls of the tubular straw are very strong and do not collapse. With his great strength, he achieves maximum possible suction and enjoys drinking the cold water.

Name: Problem 12, Chapter 14: Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics
Uploaded: 2020-06-03T16:59:41-08:00
Duration: 1 min 53 s
Channel: Mayukh Banik
Description: Why is the following situation impossible? Figure P14.12 shows Superman attempting to drink cold water through a straw of length ℓ=12.0 m . The walls of the tubular straw are very strong and do not collapse. With his great strength, he achieves maximum possible suction and enjoys drinking the cold water.

   Why is the following situation impossible? Figure P14.12 shows Superman attempting to drink cold water through a straw of length $\ell=12.0 \mathrm{m} .$ The walls of the tubular straw are very strong and do not collapse. With his great strength, he achieves maximum possible suction and enjoys drinking the cold water.

Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics

Raymond A. Serway,… 8th Edition

Chapter 14, Problem 12

Instant Answer

Solved by Expert Mayukh Banik

06/03/2020

Step 1

This is because the pressure at the top of the straw, where Superman is applying suction, is essentially a vacuum, and the pressure at the bottom of the straw is the atmospheric pressure. The water rises in the straw until the weight of the water column balances Show more…

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Why is the following situation impossible? Figure P14.12 shows Superman attempting to drink cold water through a straw of length $\ell=12.0 \mathrm{m} .$ The walls of the tubular straw are very strong and do not collapse. With his great strength, he achieves maximum possible suction and enjoys drinking the cold water.

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Key Concepts

Atmospheric Pressure Limit

Atmospheric pressure sets an upper limit on how high a liquid can be pushed up a straw. Under typical conditions, the pressure exerted by the atmosphere is only sufficient to support a water column of around 10.3 meters. Any attempt to pull water higher than this, even by creating a perfect vacuum at the straw's top, will fail because there is not enough external pressure to support a taller column.

Hydrostatic Pressure

Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium due to the force of gravity. In the case of drinking through a straw, the weight of the water column creates a downward pressure that must be balanced by the atmospheric pressure acting on the liquid’s surface. When the height of the water column exceeds what atmospheric pressure can support, the difference results in an inability to raise the water further.

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