MCQ Detailed View

The working principle of a washing machine is based on centrifugation, a physical process that separates substances of different densities by spinning them at high speed. When clothes are washed, they absorb a large amount of water. To dry them effectively, the machine rotates the drum at a very high speed. During this rotation, the centrifugal force pushes water molecules outward, away from the center of rotation, through the small holes in the drum, while the clothes remain pressed against the wall of the drum.

Centrifugation is widely used in physics, chemistry, and biology to separate mixtures. In the case of a washing machine, the same concept helps remove excess water from fabrics quickly and efficiently. This process does not rely on evaporation but instead uses mechanical force to separate liquid from solid material.

The washing cycle has two important steps:

1. 
   

   Agitation and washing: Water and detergent loosen and remove dirt from clothes.

   
   


2. 
   

   Spinning (centrifugation): High-speed rotation separates water from clothes.

   
   

It is important to note that a washing machine does not use principles like the photoelectric effect (related to emission of electrons under light) or electromagnetic induction (generation of current by a changing magnetic field). Instead, its primary physical concept is mechanical — the separation of liquid from solid using rotational force.

This principle is also applied in laboratories where centrifuges separate blood components or in industries where liquids are separated from solids. The washing machine is one of the most common household examples of centrifugation used in everyday life.

In summary, a washing machine works on the principle of centrifugation, where spinning motion generates centrifugal force to separate water from clothes, making the drying process much faster and more efficient.