New
Latest Update

Researchers Crack Leonardo da Vinci’s Paradox of Air Bubbles

Advertisement

Published on: February 18, 2023,

Five centuries ago Leonardo da Vinci observed that air bubbles if big enough periodically deviate in zigzag or spiral from a straight line movement. But there is quantitative description of the phenomenon or physical mechanism to explain this periodic motion. Researchers from the universities of Seville and Bristol has solved the mystery surrounding the unsteady path of the air bubble rising in water.

 

Professors Miguel Angel Herrada of the University of Seville and Jens G. Eggers of the University of Bristol have uncovered a mechanism that explains the erratic movement of bubbles rising in water. The findings could provide insights into the behavior of particles that fall between solid and gas states.

 

The authors of this new paper have developed a numerical disconcerting technique that enables them to simulate its motion and explore its stability. Their simulations closely match high precision measurement of unsteady bubble motion that show bubbles deviate from a straight trajectory in water when their spherical radius exceeds 0.926 millimeters as a result within 2% of experimental values obtained with ultrapure water in the 90s.

The researchers propose a mechanism for the instability of the bubble trajectory whereby periodic tilting of the bubble changes curvature. It affects the upward velocity causing a wobble in the bubble’s trajectory. As the fluid moves faster and the fluid pressure falls around the high curvature surface the pressure imbalance returns the bubble to original positions restarting the periodic cycle.

 

 

 

Advertisement

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *