The coalescence of two liquid droplets takes less than the blink of an eye, but it is the result of an intricate interplay between surface tension, viscosity, and inertia. The high-speed video above was filmed at 16000 frames per second, yet the initial coalescence of the silicone oil drops is still nearly instantaneous. At the very instant the drops meet, an infinitesimally small neck is formed between the droplets. Mathematically speaking, the pressure and curvature of the droplets diverge as a result of this tiny contact area. This is an example of a singularity. Surface tension rapidly expands the neck, sending capillary waves rippling along the drops as they become one. (Video credit: S. Nagel et al.; research credit: J. Paulsen)
Coalescence
