The Jasper Chronicles

The Journal of a Cynical Dad

Friday, August 19, 2005

Physics of Cloth Diapers

f=ma

Newton's Law of Motion. Where f is force, m is mass and a is acceleration.

I have learned a valuable lesson in the physics of cloth diapers - wrap the leg fold too tightly will greatly increase the acceleration of the discharge (aka poop).

So in this example the force is the pressure excerted by Harris' apparently well developed colon, the mass is the poop itself and the acceleration is the variable.

Knowing the force and mass are constant, you need to provide enough space in the diaper for the mass (poop) to accumulate. If you wrap the leg fold too tightly the mass doesn't have any space and it will accelerate out of the sides of the diaper. It's like squeezing packet of ketchup but more yucky.