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
Tag: crowning
A Viscous Splash
The splash of a drop may be commonplace, but it is still a mesmerizing and fertile phenomenon. When it comes to splashing, scientists are still learning how to predict the Keep reading
Sandy Splashes
Sand and other granular materials can be strikingly fluid-like. Here the impact of a solid sphere on sand generates a splash remarkably similar to what’s seen with water. When the Keep reading
The Disintegrating Splash
A drop of blue-dyed glycerine impacts a thin film of isopropanol, creating a spectacular splash and breakup. The drop’s impact flings a layer of the isopropanol into the air, where Keep reading
Water Atop Oil
At first glance, this image looks much like the impact of any drop on a pool of the same liquid, but that’s not what you’re seeing. This is the impact Keep reading
Molten Copper
In this video, the Slow Mo Guys prove that pouring molten copper in slow motion is every bit as satisfying as one would imagine. Because they pour the metal from Keep reading
Crowns On Impact
Dropping a partially-filled test tube of water against a table makes the meniscus at the air-water interface invert into a jet of liquid. In some cases, the impact is strong Keep reading
Daily Fluids, Part 4
Inside or outside, we encounter a lot of fluid dynamics every day. Here are some examples you might have noticed, especially on a rainy day: Worthington Jets After a drop Keep reading
Raindrops in Puddles
Watching rain drops hit a puddle or lake is remarkably fascinating. Each drop creates a little cavity in the water surface when it impacts. Large, energetic drops will create a Keep reading
The Milk Crown
This frequently imitated photograph of a drop of milk splashing was taken by engineer Harold Edgerton in 1934. Edgerton pioneered the application of stroboscopic photography to everyday objects, allowing him Keep reading