The behavior of smoke rings, tornados, and quantized vortex rings in superfluid helium has many features in common. These features can be described by the same mathematics we use when introducing Ampère's law in an introductory physics course. We discuss these common features.
REFERENCES
1.
Another way to create this vortex is described in
Sambasiva Chada
Rao
and Gottfried I.
Moller
, “Vortex motion in a water bottle
,” Phys. Teach.
9
, 534
(Dec. 1971
).3.
H.
von Helmholtz
, Crelle's Journal
, 55
(1858
), pp. 25
–55
.4.
A discussion of vortex ring dynamics and a derivation of the Helmholtz theorems can be found in Chapters 12 and 13 of
E.
Huggins
, Calculus2000
, available for a free download at www.physics2000.com.5.
A safer vortex ring demonstration is described by
Karen
Bouffard
in “The vortex cannon
,” Phys. Teach.
38
, 18
(Jan. 2000
).6.
The vortex ring movie can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.3651730.1.
7.
8.
R. P.
Feynman
, “Application of quantum mechanics to liquid helium
,” I, edited by C. J.
Gorter
(North-Holland Publishing Co.
, 1955
), pp. 17
–53
.See also
R. P.
Feynman
, in The Feynman Lectures
(Addison-Wesley
, Reading, MA
, 1963
) Vol. III
, Lecture 21.9.
G. W.
Rayfield
and F.
Reif
, “Quantized vortex rings in superfluid helium
,” Phys. Rev.
136
, A1201
(1964
).10.
Elisha
Huggins
“Exact magnus force formula for three-dimensional fluid-core vortices
,” PhysRev.
A1
327
(1970
).© 2011 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2011
American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT members receive access to The Physics Teacher and the American Journal of Physics as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.
