Water Surface: Is it Flat or Rounded?

[tommyn79]

hi guys.. i don't know much about physics. and if my questions sound stupid .. please excuse me.
According to what I've known, the water surface is flat, and we use it for some sort of measurement like a water level, but if we go to outer space, we would see the water surface not flat , it's actually rounded along the Earth's crust. So imagine the bottom of the ocean is a big bow which contains all the water, and the water fills up the bow, and it makes up the rounded shape because of gravity, then if we narrow down the ocean to a very small angle as a small bow..we would still have it rounded somehow at a very small degree.

here are my questions

If I have a bow of water in my hand and i lift it up 1 meter above the ground, is the water surface in that bow 100% flat or a little bit rounded?

Is there any difference to the the water surface if i put the bow of water on the ground or even bury it for direct gravity?

Thanks for reading ...

 

[Nate810]

The water surface in the bow would be nearly flat when it is lifted up one meter above the ground. The curvature of the surface due to gravity would be very small and would not be noticeable. When the bow is placed on the ground or buried, gravity will cause the water surface to curve slightly, but this curvature will likely go unnoticed as well.

 

[Moetasim]

I can provide some insights into the questions you have raised. First, it is important to understand that the surface of water, like any other liquid, is affected by various factors such as gravity, surface tension, and temperature. These factors can cause the water surface to appear flat or slightly curved, depending on the circumstances.

To answer your first question, if you have a bow of water and lift it 1 meter above the ground, the water surface will not be 100% flat. This is because gravity is constantly acting on the water, causing it to conform to the shape of the Earth's surface. However, the curvature of the water surface at this height would be very small and may not be noticeable to the naked eye.

As for your second question, the placement of the bow of water (on the ground or buried) will not have a significant impact on the curvature of the water surface. This is because gravity acts on all objects equally, regardless of their placement. However, other factors such as surface tension and temperature may play a role in the shape of the water surface.

In summary, the water surface can appear flat or slightly curved depending on various factors, but overall it conforms to the shape of the Earth's surface due to the force of gravity. I hope this helps to clarify your questions. Keep asking curious questions and exploring the world around you!