TITLE:
A Cone Rotating in a Fluid Translates
AUTHORS:
Kern E. Kenyon
KEYWORDS:
Rotating Cone in a Fluid, Rotating Cone Translating in a Fluid
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Science,
Vol.12 No.3,
February
28,
2020
ABSTRACT: When a solid cone with smooth surfaces rotates at a
constant rate about its long axis in still water, it will experience no
friction, as announced earlier [1] and documented further here. However, if not
restrained, it will translate along the axis base first and apex last, which is
caused by a variation of pressure on its side: low near the base and high at
the apex. This translation needs to be verified experimentally. Friction will
occur during translation but an opposite reaction force will also take place
related to the front to back asymmetry of the body [2]. Whether or not these two oppositely directed
forces can cancel each other out by an appropriate choice of variable
magnitudes is not known, but if true, it would lead to an extended translation. Also the
translation path could be lengthened by slightly modifying the front face of
the cone such that the translation itself produces rotation. One idea for such
a modification is suggested. Observations in the future would be very
beneficial.