We typically think of convection in terms of temperature differences, but the real driver is density. In the animations above, cream sitting atop a liqueur is undergoing solutal convection – Keep reading
Tag: density
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
“Ink in Motion”
In this short film, the Macro Room team plays with the diffusion of ink in water and its interaction with various shapes. Injecting ink with a syringe results in a Keep reading
Accidental Painting
Some paintings of Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros feature patchy, spotted areas of contrasting color formed by what Siqueiros described as “accidental painting”. Many modern artists use this technique as well. Keep reading
“Oil Spill”
In “Oil Spill” artist Fabian Oefner explores the shapes and colors of oil floating atop water. An old adage tells us that oil and water don’t mix, but this is not Keep reading
Living Fluid Dynamics
This short film for the 2016 Gallery of Fluid Motion features Montana State University students experiencing fluid dynamics in the classroom and in their daily lives. As in her previous Keep reading
Seeing Blast Waves
With a large enough explosion, it’s actually possible to see shock waves. This high-speed camera footage shows the detonation of a car packed with explosives. After the initial flash, you Keep reading
Dead Water
Sailors have long known about the “dead water” phenomenon, which can bring ships to a near-standstill, but it was only within the last century that an explanation for the behavior Keep reading
Blast Waves Visualized
Typically, shock waves are invisible to the human eye. Using sensitive optical techniques like schlieren photography, researchers in a lab can visualize sharp density gradients like shock waves or even Keep reading
Internal Wave Demo
This video has a fun and simple demonstration of the importance of fluid density in buoyancy and stratification. Fresh water (red) and salt water (blue) are released together into a small Keep reading