With the arrival of late 2016 came the internet-trending water bottle flip. Challenged by a video of a water bottle flip posted online by high schooler Michael Senatore, many teenagers started posting their own bottle flipping videos. As the month drove on, the complexity of the water bottle flips increased, from successfully flipping water bottles on the rim of doorways to even landing water bottles on their caps. Millions of viewers around the world have been entertained and amazed by the creativity and difficulty of what was presented in these videos, however, water bottles flips are not all luck, moreso based on the rules of physics, and knowing these rules can practically guarantee a successful flip every time.
Most water bottle flippers prefer a 16.9 ounce, hourglass shaped bottle -- the basic water bottle. Typically, ⅓ of the water bottle is filled for best results. As a visual example, a water bottle flip is like a diver jumping up, spinning once, and diving back down. However, they dive back down in a way causing them to land on their feet, rather than their heads. It is preferred to toss the bottle from the neck or cap area, so a smooth toss will occur. The flip starts with the water, gravity and center mass towards the base of the bottle and then a flick of the wrist.
Despite the bottle being rotated 360 degrees, the water does not turn in a full cycle and instead sloshes around on one side. The bottle moves with an angular momentum (the rotation of a body and its angular speed), the momentum being distributed to the lighter top as it spins, then transferring to the heavier water, causing the water bottle to nearly stop spinning and instead land straight and upright. Throughout the whole flip, the water does not make it all the way down, but instead acts like a brake on the momentum, bringing the gravity and bottle back down.
There is a rationale of the flip, branched off of the concept of fluid dynamics. Although coming with an engrossing name, fluid dynamics is simply the science of liquids and gases when they are in motion. When a water bottle is tossed, the angular momentum (rotation of a body in an angular velocity) is conveyed to the water. The water with the larger mass -- and therefore greater power -- does not want to rotate, because there is an option slosh across the side. The angular momentum is transferred and the rotation slows down, no longer powered by the momentum. The water rejecting the angular momentum within the bottle while in motion is a part of fluid dynamics.
That is the overall procedure of the water bottle flip.
There is, of course, a tip to keep in mind as water bottle flips are attempted. The consistency of trials matters. The more consistent, the more likely any mistakes will be noticed and adjustments can be made.
With this reasoning kept in mind, you could possibly land every flip and go along with the internet craze. Just make sure you don’t flip out!
