Consider two concentric thin wall steel tubes, the larger one closed at the bott
ID: 2980143 • Letter: C
Question
Consider two concentric thin wall steel tubes, the larger one closed at the bottom and the inner one open. the tubes are filled with a fluid. A well fitting cylindrical plug that slides easily is dropped in the inner tube and a well fitting annular ring (doughnut) which slides easily is dropped between the two tubes. The weights of both plugs are the same. After oscillating a little the plugs settle down concentrically with one another as shown. What must be the relationship between the radii of the tubes? (ignore the wall thickness of the tubes)Explanation / Answer
We know that pressure in a confined fluid is same
So if the height from bottom of both plugs are same,
then the pressure generated by each plug is same:
so
mg/(pi*r^2) = mg/(pi*(R^2-r^2))
ie same pressure ,R = outer radius,r = inner radius
=>r^2 = R^2-r^2
=>2*r^2 = R^2
=>R = r*sqrt(2)