Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A steel ball of radius mm falls through a tall jar of glycerine between two marks in s. Another steel ball of radius mm falls between the same marks in the same glycerine. Both reach their steady speeds. Find the ratio of the terminal speed of the second ball to that of the first, and the time that the second ball takes.
Capillary rise: , so is in proportion to . Stokes' law: . At the terminal speed, , and . The Reynolds number is . Use SI units.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The ratio of speeds. , so .
Step 2. The time. The distance is the same, so s.
Answer: and s.
What if? In a narrow jar the larger ball would be slowed more by the walls, because the ratio is bigger. The ratio of is then too large. This is why the jar must be wide.
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