• Question: Why does water form swirly patterns?

    Asked by higglebiggle to David, Luna, Probash on 25 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: David Pyle

      David Pyle answered on 25 Mar 2011:

      Water is a fluid with low viscosity, and it is easily moved around by winds, vibrations and so on. Because light passes through water, and is refracted as it does so, it is quite easy to see small variations in the shape of the surface of water bodies. I presume that the swirly patterns occur whenever water flows around or through complex objects, and it just happens to be easy to see.

Comments