Misapplications of Bernoulli's

principle in common classroom

demonstrations[edit]
There are several common classroom demonstrations that are sometimes
incorrectly explained using Bernoulli's principle. [39] One involves holding a piece
of paper horizontally so that it droops downward and then blowing over the top
of it. As the demonstrator blows over the paper, the paper rises. It is then
asserted that this is because "faster moving air has lower pressure". [40][41][42]
One problem with this explanation can be seen by blowing along the bottom of
the paper: were the deflection due simply to faster moving air one would expect
the paper to deflect downward, but the paper deflects upward regardless of
whether the faster moving air is on the top or the bottom. [43] Another problem is
that when the air leaves the demonstrator's mouth it has the same pressure as
the surrounding air;[44] the air does not have lower pressure just because it is
moving; in the demonstration, the static pressure of the air leaving the
demonstrator's mouth is equal to the pressure of the surrounding air.[45][46] A third
problem is that it is false to make a connection between the flow on the two
sides of the paper using Bernoullis equation since the air above and below
are different flow fields and Bernoulli's principle only applies within a flow field. [47]
[48][49][50]

As the wording of the principle can change its implications, stating the principle
correctly is important.[51] What Bernoulli's principle actually says is that within a
flow of constant energy, when fluid flows through a region of lower pressure it
speeds up and vice versa.[52] Thus, Bernoulli's principle concerns itself
with changes in speed and changes in pressure within a flow field. It cannot be
used to compare different flow fields.
A correct explanation of why the paper rises would observe that
the plume follows the curve of the paper and that a curved streamline will
develop a pressure gradient perpendicular to the direction of flow, with the lower
pressure on the inside of the curve.[53][54][55][56] Bernoulli's principle predicts that
the decrease in pressure is associated with an increase in speed, i.e. that as the
air passes over the paper it speeds up and moves faster than it was moving
when it left the demonstrator's mouth. But this is not apparent from the
demonstration.[57][58][59]
Other common classroom demonstrations, such as blowing between two
suspended spheres, inflating a large bag, or suspending a ball in an airstream
are sometimes explained in a similarly misleading manner by saying "faster
moving air has lower pressure".[60][61][62][63][64][65][66]