High School Photo Winner's Showcase

School: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Teacher: Mark Hannum

This photo demonstrates the idea of centripetal force. Water pumped out by the elephant holds a circular shape against gravity. The combination of force from the elephant?s lungs, the path of its truck, and the angle of the tip of the truck resulted in a centripetal force that pulls the water molecules together inward to create a circular swirl shape. Because the centripetal force at that moment is greater than the gravitational force of the earth, the shape is maintained instead of the swirl shape falling apart and the water splashing downward. This photo was taken in Chitwan, Nepal.