Q&A: The Lower One Prevails
The Lower One Prevails
Question
Hello to Rabbi Dr. Michael,
Is there any treatment in physics of the dispute between Rav and Shmuel over whether the upper one prevails or the lower one prevails?
Answer
I’m not aware of any, but I doubt it.
Discussion on Answer
If hot water is poured into a glass containing cold water, where will most of the hot water be concentrated? Will the distribution be uniform, or in the upper or lower part of the glass?
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
When hot water is poured into a glass containing cold water, the hot water will not immediately mix uniformly with the cold water. The hot water will initially tend to rise toward the upper part of the glass. This happens because hot water is less dense than cold water.
Here’s why:
Density differences: Hot water has a lower density compared to cold water because the molecules in hot water move more vigorously and are spaced farther apart, making the water less dense.
Convection: As the hot water rises, it will create convection currents in the glass. The hot water will move upward, while the cooler, denser water sinks to the bottom.
Therefore, in the initial moments after the hot water is poured in, most of the hot water will be concentrated in the upper part of the glass, and the temperature distribution will not be uniform. Over time, heat will transfer between the hot and cold water, leading to more uniform mixing as the temperatures equalize due to the process of conduction and continued convection.
In summary, right after pouring, the hot water will predominantly stay in the upper part of the glass, with a non-uniform distribution that gradually becomes more uniform as mixing occurs.
Thank you very much.