Images recorded in the Ubajara National Park, in the Serra da Ibiapaba, in the interior of Ceará, drew attention on social media by showing a phenomenon that appears to defy gravity: a water from a waterfall “rises” instead of falling.
The video was recorded by visitor Júnior Aguiar at Cachoeira da Murimbeca, one of the attractions of the park’s Waterfall Circuit. In the imagesreleased this Wednesday (11), .
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According to Arthur Felinto, a PhD student in physics at UFPE (Federal University of Pernambuco), what happens is the combination of strong wind and water spraying during the fall.
“At first, the first phenomenon that draws attention is the spraying of water – the formation of droplets suspended in the air. This happens due to gusts of wind, strong enough to have a shearing effect on the surface of the falling liquid”, he explains.
According to the researcher, .
“Shear is the tension in this case of layers of fluids that slide against each other. If it becomes easier, we can talk about friction between wind and water”, he states.
The , creating the visual effect of rising.
“With this mechanical effect, the wind is able to carry the suspended water towards it and the water in the waterfall rises,” he says.
A similar phenomenon also occurs in marine environments. According to the physicist, the process is comparable to the spray formed in sea waves when the wind drags water particles.
“The spray effect is common both in waterfalls and in the ocean. Just think of the water spray seen on beaches or on boat trips”, he says.
In English, this effect on the sea is known as seaspray. Although the phenomenon recorded in Ubajara attracted attention on social media, it is not unprecedented from a scientific point of view.
“Of course, no less beautiful and admirable. But it is ‘common’ because it is understandable from a physical point of view and has even been recorded in several places. For it to happen, however, these aforementioned conditions must be met”, concludes the physicist.
Located within the Ubajara National Park, the .
