Celebrating the physics of all that flows with Nicole Sharp, Ph.D.
- Profile
#IfThenSheCan Exhibit at the Smithsonian
I’m not normally one to talk about myself here on FYFD. This site was made to keep the focus on the science, but I’m making an exception today to share a very special exhibit that I’m a part of: the #IfThenSheCan Exhibit, which opens today at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC as part of their…
“Delusion”
Soap films are ephemeral and ever-changing. The shifting concentration of surfactants along the surface of the film, combined with thermally-driven convection, keeps the fluid in motion. The shifting colors reflect subtle changes in the soap film’s thickness. Over time, gravity drains fluid from the top of the film, thinning it to the point that it…
Vortex Arms
A fixed cylinder will shed alternating vortices in its wake, but one allowed to oscillate forward and backward in the flow instead sheds simultaneous vortices. The shape of the wake still depends on the flow’s velocity. At low flow speeds, the two vortices are the same size when they shed. At higher velocities, the two…
The Shapes of Melting Ice
Water is an odd substance because it is densest at 4 degrees Celsius, well above its melting point at 0 degrees Celsius. This density anomaly means that melting ice takes on very different shapes, depending on the temperature of the water surrounding it. At low temperatures (under 4 degrees Celsius), the cold water melting off…
Ship Tracks in the Sky
Line-like clouds criss-cross the Pacific Ocean in this satellite image. Each one is a ship track, a remnant left behind a passing ship. As they travel, ships leave a trail of exhaust that seeds the atmosphere with aerosols that serve as additional nucleation sites for clouds. The tiny particles interact with existing low-level clouds, making…
Culinary Fluid Dynamics
I’ve long been a fan of exploring fluid dynamics from my own kitchen, and I’m far from the only one. One of the pioneers of interfacial physics developed most of her science in her kitchen! Whether you’re cooking, baking, frying, searing a steak, mixing a cocktail, preparing coffee, or simply dunking a cookie, chances are…
Lava Landscapes
Lava flows are, by definition, transient. In his LAVA series, photographer Jan Erik Waider explores the changing vistas and textures of Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall volcano eruption. Using a telephoto lens, he captures incredible details of the charred, cooling outer crust of the lava and the glowing molten interior. Only minutes later, fresh lava tore through, destroying…
Backflipping Bubbles
Rising bubbles can backflip when they impact a tilted surface. As shown in this video, small bubbles will bounce off a titled surface, with each hop leading the bubble further up the incline. For slightly larger bubbles, though, things get a little more complicated. The bubble impacts the surface, bounces away, then circles back and…
Quantum Instability
In our everyday lives, two fluids moving past one another often form a wave-like pattern thanks to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. We see it in the curl of waves on the ocean, in clouds in the sky, and even in spirals of lava on Mars. Here researchers explore an analogous instability in the quantum world. By…
Rocked By Waves
This astronaut photo shows the Isles of Scilly off the Cornish coast. The pale turquoise waters mark shallow reefs and shoals between the islands while blues reveal deeper waters surrounding the isles. The sun angle is perfect for highlighting the complex wave patterns caused by the winds and tides. Look closely and you’ll see swells…