Put the end of a capillary tube and the miniscus pulls the water a distance up the tube. This increases the potential energy of the water without any visible outlay of energy, right? If the water came over the top of the tube in this way, could it not drive a tiny turbine? With enough of these, could we not generate infinite electricity? Where is the flaw in this plan?
2007-02-03 11:12:00 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
well, capillary action doesn't provide enough energy to drive turbines, or at least not enough to generate any electricity, in which the turbine will spin a magnet thousands of times. i also don't see how the water would come over the top of the tube; the surface be broken because of surface tension, and unless you plan to do something like transpiration like plants do then what would happen? And if it theoretically could generate inifinite electricity, it won't do it quickly enough (you have to take into account power, Energy per unit time). solar panels will generate infinite energy, but just not enough power to supply a large amount of energy over a reasonable amount of time.
2007-02-03 11:20:28 · answer #1 · answered by kz 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The potential energy of the raised water is at the expense of surface tension energy. The water will not overflow the top of the tube, no matter how short they are, because the surface tension will not pull the water over the top. There is no way to cheat mother nature.
2007-02-03 11:19:08 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Potential energy is not being increased, it is being reduced. You are neglecting the potential energy stored as surface tension. You would need to apply work to actually drive the liquid out the top to spill over and drive a turbine.
2007-02-03 11:17:57 · answer #3 · answered by SAN 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It will be there as long as it is in the tube. If u cut the tube half way it will not overflow!
2007-02-03 11:27:07 · answer #4 · answered by Let'slearntothink 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋