Communicating vessels: a non-linear dynamical system

Vasos comunicantes: um sistema dinâmico não linear

Abstract

The dynamics of an ideal fluid contained in two communicating vessels is studied. Despite the fact that the static properties of this system have been known since antiquity, the knowledge of the dynamical properties of an ideal fluid flowing in two communicating vessels is not similarly widespread. By means of Bernoulli's equation for non-stationary fluid flow, we study the oscillatory motion of the fluid when dissipation can be neglected.

Keywords:
Bernoulli's equation; non-stationary fluid; fluid dynamics