A Low-Cost Teapot Effect Experiment for Introductory Physics
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arXiv
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| Autori principali: | , , |
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| Natura: | Preprint |
| Pubblicazione: |
2026
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| _version_ | 1866914425550667776 |
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| author | Guo, Yu-Chen Wang, Jin-Ming Li, Ying-Xin |
| author_facet | Guo, Yu-Chen Wang, Jin-Ming Li, Ying-Xin |
| contents | The teapot effect refers to the tendency of a poured liquid to cling to the lip of a container and run down the outside. It is a familiar but physically rich example of flow separation. We present a low-cost experiment for introductory physics laboratories that uses 3D-printed cups, a simple flow regulator, and basic surface treatments to explore this phenomenon in a classroom setting. Students measure the run-off length along the outer wall as an accessible indicator of sticking versus separation and use it to compare the effects of flow velocity and surface wettability. Rather than attempting a full quantitative test of research-level models, the activity is designed to illustrate the inertial-capillary picture of the teapot effect in a form that is experimentally straightforward and pedagogically effective. The experiment connects a familiar everyday observation to fluid inertia, wetting, and interfacial forces in a form that is well suited to introductory instruction. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_25653 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | A Low-Cost Teapot Effect Experiment for Introductory Physics Guo, Yu-Chen Wang, Jin-Ming Li, Ying-Xin Physics Education The teapot effect refers to the tendency of a poured liquid to cling to the lip of a container and run down the outside. It is a familiar but physically rich example of flow separation. We present a low-cost experiment for introductory physics laboratories that uses 3D-printed cups, a simple flow regulator, and basic surface treatments to explore this phenomenon in a classroom setting. Students measure the run-off length along the outer wall as an accessible indicator of sticking versus separation and use it to compare the effects of flow velocity and surface wettability. Rather than attempting a full quantitative test of research-level models, the activity is designed to illustrate the inertial-capillary picture of the teapot effect in a form that is experimentally straightforward and pedagogically effective. The experiment connects a familiar everyday observation to fluid inertia, wetting, and interfacial forces in a form that is well suited to introductory instruction. |
| title | A Low-Cost Teapot Effect Experiment for Introductory Physics |
| topic | Physics Education |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.25653 |