Taking a shower is a pleasant procedure, except for the moment when the curtain starts sticking to your legs, arms, or other parts of your body.
Why does this always happen, and can it be prevented?
The Bernoulli effect
To answer this question, physics, as it often does, can help. In fact, you might think that when water rises, it pushes the air aside, and the curtain should move away from you instead of sticking to you.
However, it all has to do with air pressure, or more precisely, the pressure conditions and airflow in the shower cabin or bathtub.
The water from the showerhead causes the air to move, creating a negative pressure that attracts the shower curtain towards the water stream.
The discovery of negative pressure is attributed to the Swiss mathematician and physicist Daniel Bernoulli.
He found that in areas where the air moves faster, the pressure is lower than in areas where the air is still. To compensate for this pressure difference, air flows in from the stagnant regions.
Specifically, for the situation with a shower, it means that water coming out of the showerhead causes the air to move, resulting in a decrease in air pressure under the shower. The air tries to enter from the outside, pushing the curtain towards the shower.
But, as is often the case, it's much more complicated than it seems at first glance.
The thermal effect
While the Bernoulli effect mostly explains the sticking phenomenon, other factors also play a role. When taking a shower with warm water, a thermal effect occurs, where warm air rises upward, and cold air follows.
Additionally, water droplets (for example, when hitting the floor or bathtub wall) scatter, creating eddies and, therefore, negative pressure.
You may have heard the term "negative pressure" in connection with flights because it's responsible for airplanes taking off.
The wings are shaped in such a way that the air moves faster over the top surface than underneath, creating a suction force that lifts the plane upwards. The simplest way to experience the Bernoulli effect yourself is to use a ping-pong ball and a hairdryer.
How to prevent the shower curtain from sticking to your body.
So, what can you do with a clingy shower curtain? Here are four things:
Hang weights on it.
Thread a lead tape through it.
Attach the curtain to the bathtub with water.
Don't close it completely when taking a shower.
Suspending weights is probably the most practical solution because, although the Bernoulli effect can be annoying in the shower, the forces involved are relatively small.
Source: ukr.media
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