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by Anonymous on July 9th, 2005

Anonymous

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Help answer this question below.

Does water always flow downhill?

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  • by PerpetualAFK on January 11th, 2007

    PerpetualAFK

    I would like to expand on this question. Although most liquids will flow downhill, some liquids are "special". For example, I believe that if mercury (Hg) is cooled to near absolute zero, it will develop an interesting property. If you had a table with a rectangular block in the middle, and you poured some mercury towards it, it would move toward the block from its initial momentum. Then, as if by magic, the mercury would climb up the side of the block and then go down the other, as if it hadn't been there at all.
    I recall reading this somewhere a long time ago. If I am just making stuff up, please let me know.

    Comments

    • Mercury (Hg) has a freezing point of -38.72 degrees C
      Even if the table were circular and the block in the middle was made of awesome, you would still have a frozen block of Mercury laying on the table doing nothing.

      justgosh

      by justgosh on June 29th, 2009

    • Sorry yes you are correct. I got the material wrong. It is actually liquid Helium. You can see it in action at around 1:00 mark of this video:
      http://www.5min.com/Video/Superfluid-Liquid-Helium-Phenomenon-1885819

      PerpetualAFK

      by PerpetualAFK on July 7th, 2009

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