Gravy and Gravity

Housten I have a problem!

My gravy keeps running off the edge of my plate, despite me having carefully crafted channels in my food for it to run through and irrigate my dinner. Logic and the laws of gravity would say that on an even surface liquids would run to the lowest point, in this case the base of the plate. So why dosen't it? Is this just another example of my weirdness or is it something about the gravy itself, is it attracted to the table, is there somethig about it's viscosity? I do like a good gloop in gravy, none of that runny brown water che's call jus.

Parents
  • It isn't just gravity vs gravy in play here, you also have fluid dynamics such a viscosity, adhesion and porosity all weaving their tangled web.

    The surface tension of the gravy stops it from spreading too fast but if you have buttered the mash then the co-efficient of friction of gravy on mash is much reduced, facilitating a higher velocity to its lowest point.

    make it too thick and the gravy will not percolate through the peas as hoped, resulting in a glacier like push to the lowest point where the surface tension will make it form a dome of sorts, often causing it to pull together in places where the plate no longer extends to, resulting in the stalegtites forming.

    It is a many faceted gem this thing of beauty that is gravy.

    Would you believe this was actually a homework from my physics degree to study the fluid dynamics of gravy on a Sunday lunch? I think they were just too cheap to write up some proper homework tasks!

Reply
  • It isn't just gravity vs gravy in play here, you also have fluid dynamics such a viscosity, adhesion and porosity all weaving their tangled web.

    The surface tension of the gravy stops it from spreading too fast but if you have buttered the mash then the co-efficient of friction of gravy on mash is much reduced, facilitating a higher velocity to its lowest point.

    make it too thick and the gravy will not percolate through the peas as hoped, resulting in a glacier like push to the lowest point where the surface tension will make it form a dome of sorts, often causing it to pull together in places where the plate no longer extends to, resulting in the stalegtites forming.

    It is a many faceted gem this thing of beauty that is gravy.

    Would you believe this was actually a homework from my physics degree to study the fluid dynamics of gravy on a Sunday lunch? I think they were just too cheap to write up some proper homework tasks!

Children
  • This was a plate of toad in the hole, served with carrots and greens, both broccol and spring greens. I think my batter although crisp was also absorbant especially where it was cut.

    If it were well buttered mash, then would it depend on how buttery the mash was? More fat then the gravy slides off.

    Going back for seconds of gravy risks the horror that is skin, skin on gravy is only a fraction less disgusting than skin on a milk pudding, it's never a good idea to have to slice gravy of chew the lumps!

    Iain the fact that you still remember all this shows what an effective lesson it was.