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Sprinkler Problem

All articles tagged with #sprinkler problem

"Decades-Long Mystery of Feynman's Sprinkler Problem Finally Solved by Mathematicians"

Originally Published 1 year ago — by ScienceAlert

After decades of debate, a group of mathematicians claim to have finally solved Feynman's sprinkler problem, which asks how a sprinkler head would rotate if it sucked in water instead of expelling it. Using lab experiments and mathematical modeling, they found that a reverse sprinkler spins in the opposite direction when taking in water, due to the collision of incoming water jets generating torque to rotate the hub. The findings could have practical applications in engineering technologies to harvest energy from flowing air or water.

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"Mathematicians Crack Feynman's Reverse Sprinkler Puzzle"

Originally Published 1 year ago — by Ars Technica

Mathematicians at New York University have solved the long-standing "reverse sprinkler" problem, which has puzzled physicists since the 1940s. Their study, published in Physical Review Letters, combines lab experiments and mathematical modeling to reveal that a reverse sprinkler spins in the opposite direction when taking in water as it does when ejecting it, challenging conventional wisdom. This achievement adds to the lab's track record of addressing colorful real-world puzzles, including perfect bubble formation, stone forest formation processes, Tesla valve construction, and paper airplane aerodynamics.

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