Peeing...
 

OK, this is a totally random, but serious question. I'm curious...perhaps only males will understand what I mean however.

When one is urinating (a male), the stream sort of spirals, as in the fluid from the top of the hole flips to the bottom and vice-versa, and it may do this a few times before the stream dissipates.

Anyone know why??

(The random things I wonder about :rolleyes: :lol: )

I google'd it:

http://www.embarrassingproblems.com/...empage0809.htm
;)

-SF

Didn't you know? Our 'barrels' have rifling in them. :p

Seriously, I don't know, but I'll hazard a guess.
It could be because it's not a round hole, and you have muscles forcing it out at different strengths, and it could cause the pee to make a corkscrew effect off the sides of the walls.

Or, you may have an obstruction somewhere, like extra skin.

I've read of cases where it sprayed everywhere BUT straight ahead.
(according to women, this is the case all the time in the bathroom) ;)

In other words, fuck if I know.

I do know I used to play target shooter as a kid. ;)

Simple fluid dynamics would explain this phenomenon.

very related, but a bit off-topic: http://www.efluids.com/

I'm sort of free-associating on this one...but the gallery of images there is stunning.

Art got it. I pee straight thank you very much (maybe I wasn't clear in what I meant). ;) Anyways, thanks Art - that site is very interesting.

"Also, problems inside the urethra, such as an abnormal narrowing (stricture) or scar,"

Anyone else think of Hank Hill here? ;)

haha first thing i thought of. good lord i love that show :)

I can't get the embarassing problems site to load, but yeah, problems with the urethra can do odd things to your pee stream. Had a urinary tract infection years ago -- not VD per se, though I did get it off my then-girlfriend. And after we cleared it up, I urinated in a split-stream for months; still happens sometimes. The doctor said it was chronic congestion in the urethra caused by the aftermath of the infection, and that the same thing can happen to heavy, long-term marijuana smokers.

I've never actually cared to survey a group of stoners about their urination patterns, but I'd be curious to know if this actually happens from any heavy tokers out there.

ISN'T IT THE CORIOLLIS(SP?) EFFECT???....XOXOXOO

Probably complex fluid dynamics...

For example, if there is a little stickiness at the meatus , the stream can come out in two streams or as a spray.

HAHAHAHAHA

i have no problem unless i'm writing in the snow. i do appreciate those cool links, especially the fluid link.

It's so hard to write your name in the snow. Especially when you have a long name and have limited ammo supply...

the easiest way to describe it:

imagine two small balls connected to a elastic spring. stretch the balls apart and let go from a height. the two till probably snap back to the center as it goes down.

now imagine that the balls can freely pass through the spring and the other ball, even though they're still connected to the spring! then it drop it. the balls will go to the center, pass through each other, go to the other side, and continue back and forth.

this is the same thing as when you piss. the "spring" is stretched because your peepee hole is not a nice pinhole, but more of a slot. once the liquid exits, surface tension tries to pull the liquid into a nice sphere (but since it's a stream, it ends up trying to pull it into a cylinder). once it reaches something kind of a compact cylinder-shape, momentum makes the liquid continue to move until it distends again, at which point, surface tension once again pulls it all towards the center of the stream. eventually, frictional drag forces cause the stream to lose all of its original energy associated with the shape of your peepee hole and the stream turns into vaguely spherical droplets, the equilibrium state for any small liquid stream being dropped from a height.

Nice. That's got to be the most clear and concise explanation I've seen :) Gracias!