Simulating fluid dynamics computationally is no simple task. One of the major challenges is that flows typically consist of many different lengthscales, from the very large to the extremely tiny. In theory, Keep reading
Tag: 2018gofm
Whiskey Stains
Complex fluids leave behind fascinating stains after they evaporate. We’ve seen previously how coffee forms rings and whisky forms more complicated stains as surface tension changes during evaporation drive particles throughout the droplet. Now Keep reading
Cavitation Collapse
The collapse of a bubble underwater doesn’t seem like a very important matter, but when it happens near a solid surface, like part of a ship, it can be incredibly destructive. This Keep reading
Reducing the Force of Water Entry
As anyone who’s jumped off the high board can tell you, hitting the water involves a lot of force. That’s because any solid object entering the water has to accelerate Keep reading
Active Foam
Geometrically, biological tissues and two-dimensional layers of foam share a lot of similarities. To try and understand how active changes in one cell affect neighbors, researchers are studying how foams Keep reading
Breaking
As waves fold over and break, they trap air, creating bubbles of many sizes. The smallest of these bubbles can be only a few microns across and persist for long Keep reading
Fizzy Droplets
Leidenfrost drops surf on a layer of their own vapor, created by the high temperature of a nearby surface relative to their boiling point. These Leidenfrost drops can self-propel and Keep reading
The Shaky Life of a Droplet
An evaporating drop of ouzo goes through several stages due to the interactions of oil, alcohol and water. If you turn the situation around by placing a drop of (blue-dyed) Keep reading
Water Impacts
In the clean and simplified world of the laboratory, a droplet’s impact on water is symmetric. From a central point of impact, it sends out a ring of ripples, or Keep reading
Freezing Drop Impact
At the altitudes where aircraft fly, it’s often cold enough for water drops to freeze in seconds or less. Once attached to a wing, such frozen drops disrupt the flow, Keep reading