"physics" news and stories

Sure, everyone has a method for getting ketchup out of the bottle. Tapping the neck of a Heinz bottle with the base of my palm, right around the "57" has always worked for me. Robert Allgeyer inverts this method, however. Over at Bob's Diner, he has a whole page dedicated to the mechanics of ketchup pouring. According to Bob, it's all about increasing the flow of air into the bottle and giving the ketchup an extra push by tapping the neck of the bottle from underneath. In a footnote, Bob admits that an open palm is actually a little better than a fist. I had the open hand part right, but apparently I was applying my G-forces in the wrong direction.

[Image: Robert Allgeyer]