At an international competition, spectators held their breath as a long, narrow boat raced across the water, leaving its rivals far behind. The crowd erupted for the winners—Soviet athletes—who were bombarded with questions about their “secret” to success.
The athletes talked about training, paddling tactics, and casually mentioned their relationship with the water — it’s soft… until you hit it. Understanding that behavior helped explain their success. The rowers plunged their oars into the water with powerful thrusts, generating significant propulsion and accelerating the boat.
Technology also exploits water’s effective elasticity at high speeds. High-pressure water is used to erode coal seams underground. A concentrated water jet can even cut through tough rock—neither granite nor basalt can withstand it.
Don’t believe it? Don’t test a water jet on yourself. When water flows at a speed of about 100 meters per second, it becomes as resilient as good steel. Such a jet can’t be cut even by the sharpest saber—it will bounce back!
