If a solid semicylindrical block (a block-letter D) is placed on its curved side on a horizontal table, the top (the flat side) will be parallel to the table.

The table is tilted by an angle, a, perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder. What angle will the top of the block form with the table now?

Assume angle a is small enough to prevent the block from slipping or tipping over.

The only thing I could find to experiment with was a wine cork. Upon opening a bottle I proceeded to have a glass before attempting to bisect the cork. After plastering my thumb I placed the semicircular prism on the table. While tilting the table the bottle fell over, the remaining wine proceeded out on to the table. The angle between the top of the hemicork and the table appears to be aproximately a.

Posted by Percy on 2006-01-16 23:27:56