As a stream of water falls from a faucet, the stream narrows. I've heard
this is due to continuity -- A1v1 = A2v2. The water accelerates as it
falls, so the area decreases.
But isn't continuity for fluids in pipes/hoses, etc? As the area changes,
the velocity changes (not the other way around).
I thought the stream narrows because the air pressure is slighter larger at
the lower height (P2 = P1 + pgh). But it seems the air pressure hardly
changes in a few centimeters to cause the stream to narrow.
Or does the surface tension in the water cause it to remain intact as it
falls, acting like it's in a pipe?
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