Drops of ethanol on a heated surface contract and self-propel as they evaporate. My first thought upon seeing this was of Leidenfrost drops, but the surface is not nearly hot Keep reading
Tag: Benard-Marangoni convection
Convection Without Heat
Glycerol is a sweet, highly viscous fluid that’s very good at absorbing moisture from the ambient air. That’s why a drop of pure glycerol in laboratory conditions quickly develops convection Keep reading
Convection
Blue paint in alcohol forms an array of polygonal convection cells. We’re accustomed to associating convection with temperature differences; patterns like the one above are seen in hot cooking oil, Keep reading
Convection Visualization
Here on Earth a fascinating form of convection occurs every time we put a pot of water on the stove. As the fluid near the burner warms up, its density Keep reading
Solutal Convection
Solutal convection, rather than relying on temperature gradients, can occur due to gradients in concentration or in surface tension. While less spectacular than this previously posted video, this video contains Keep reading