A classroom demo that is popular with students and unpopular with custodians is to fill a Styrofoam cup with water, poke a hole in the bottom and then drop the cup into a garbage can waiting below. On the way down, the leak will
A) stop because the cup doesn't experience gravity
B) stop because the cup and water are both in free fall and locally weightless.
C) increase because the cup is accelerating.
D) increase because gravity pulls on the water more than it does the cup.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The leak stops because both the cup and the water are in free fall, making them locally weightless. This means the water doesn't exert pressure on the hole as it would if the cup were stationary, stopping the leak.

A Classroom Demo That Is Popular with Students and Unpopular