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In a lecture demonstration, a Ping-Pong ball is kept in midair by a vertical jet of air. Is the equilibrium stable, unstable, or neutral? Explain.

In a lecture demonstration, a Ping-Pong ball is kept in midair by a vertical jet of air. Is the equilibrium stable, unstable, or neutral? Explain.

Grade:11

2 Answers

Aditi Chauhan
askIITians Faculty 396 Points
8 years ago
The Ping-Pong ball is in stable equilibirum.
According to Bernoulli’s equation, a moving vertical jet of air causes a low pressure region. So, the pressure inside the jet of air is lower than the outside it. Now, the high pressure air above the Ping-Pong ball tends to push down to the low pressure region of the air below it whenever it tries to move upward. This also happens for all the sides of the Ping-Pong ball. This maintained the position of the Ping-Pong ball in midair. At the same time, the weight of the Ping-Pong ball is balanced by the force exerted by the vertical jet of air. The overall effect is that the Ping-Pong remains in the midair as long as there is a flow of air on it. Therefore, it is in stable equilibrium.
I Selvamathy
13 Points
5 years ago
Weight is balanced by the force due to vertical jet of air. So net force on the ping pong ball is zero. So it is in stable equilibrium 

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