ucresearch: Bursting Bubbles Two UC Berkeley researchers have now described mathematically the successive stages in the complex evolution and disappearance of foamy bubbles (the images above are based off of a computer-generated video that uses their equations). What purpose does this serve (besides making for some very mesmerizing GIFS…)?  The work has applications in industrial processes for making metal and plastic foams (like those used to cushion bicycle helmets) and in modeling growing cell clusters, which rely on these types of equations. The problem with describing foams mathematically has been that the evolution of a bubble cluster a few inches across depends on what’s happening in the extremely thin walls of each bubble, which are thinner than a human hair. Read the full story → Bubbles! GIFs! Bubble GIFs! (Also some very cool research on bubble dynamics)
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ucresearch: Bursting Bubbles Two UC Berkeley researchers have now described mathematically the successive stages in the complex evolution and disappearance of foamy bubbles (the images above are based off of a computer-generated video that uses their equations). What purpose does this serve (besides making for some very mesmerizing GIFS…)?  The work has applications in industrial processes for making metal and plastic foams (like those used to cushion bicycle helmets) and in modeling growing cell clusters, which rely on these types of equations. The problem with describing foams mathematically has been that the evolution of a bubble cluster a few inches across depends on what’s happening in the extremely thin walls of each bubble, which are thinner than a human hair. Read the full story → Bubbles! GIFs! Bubble GIFs! (Also some very cool research on bubble dynamics)
Zoom Info

ucresearch:

Bursting Bubbles

Two UC Berkeley researchers have now described mathematically the successive stages in the complex evolution and disappearance of foamy bubbles (the images above are based off of a computer-generated video that uses their equations).

What purpose does this serve (besides making for some very mesmerizing GIFS…)?  The work has applications in industrial processes for making metal and plastic foams (like those used to cushion bicycle helmets) and in modeling growing cell clusters, which rely on these types of equations.

The problem with describing foams mathematically has been that the evolution of a bubble cluster a few inches across depends on what’s happening in the extremely thin walls of each bubble, which are thinner than a human hair.

Read the full story →

Bubbles!

GIFs!

Bubble GIFs!

(Also some very cool research on bubble dynamics)

Using nothing but soap and a macro lens, Janet Waters photographs mesmerizing patterns on colored backdrops. But she hasn’t stopped there, she’s using her Flickr to create a “visual library” for all of her University students. Packed with experimental photo projects galore, her stream is well worth a look.  Macro Photography Series of Colorful Bubbles and Foam via Zeutch  Bubbles are funny things. And they do especially funny things in threes. When they roll solo, their natural tendency is to form a sphere. But it turns out that when bubbles are squished together, they prefer to be in trios. When three bubbles come together, they are snug as bugs in rugs. Take a 360˚ round bubble and divide it into threes. What do you get? You get three 120˚ angles. Now look at those pictures up there again … Most of those intersections are pretty close to 120˚!! Check out this image from Robert Krulwich:
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Using nothing but soap and a macro lens, Janet Waters photographs mesmerizing patterns on colored backdrops. But she hasn’t stopped there, she’s using her Flickr to create a “visual library” for all of her University students. Packed with experimental photo projects galore, her stream is well worth a look.  Macro Photography Series of Colorful Bubbles and Foam via Zeutch  Bubbles are funny things. And they do especially funny things in threes. When they roll solo, their natural tendency is to form a sphere. But it turns out that when bubbles are squished together, they prefer to be in trios. When three bubbles come together, they are snug as bugs in rugs. Take a 360˚ round bubble and divide it into threes. What do you get? You get three 120˚ angles. Now look at those pictures up there again … Most of those intersections are pretty close to 120˚!! Check out this image from Robert Krulwich:
Zoom Info

Using nothing but soap and a macro lens, Janet Waters photographs mesmerizing patterns on colored backdrops.

But she hasn’t stopped there, she’s using her Flickr to create a “visual library” for all of her University students. Packed with experimental photo projects galore, her stream is well worth a look. 

Macro Photography Series of Colorful Bubbles and Foam

via Zeutch 

Bubbles are funny things. And they do especially funny things in threes.

When they roll solo, their natural tendency is to form a sphere. But it turns out that when bubbles are squished together, they prefer to be in trios. When three bubbles come together, they are snug as bugs in rugs.

Take a 360˚ round bubble and divide it into threes. What do you get? You get three 120˚ angles. Now look at those pictures up there again …

Most of those intersections are pretty close to 120˚!! Check out this image from Robert Krulwich:

(via decadentscience)

Source: photojojo

Bubbles Popping at 18,000 fps? Yeah, it’s as awesome as you think. Check out this new vid from the Slo-Mo Guys to see some crazy fluid dynamics at work. The world’s a very cool place at time scales beyond our own perception. For some of the science behind why bubbles form, take a look at this post. The Slo-Mo Guys do a cool experiment to see whether a dropped object passes through the bubble thanks to gravity faster than the bubble pops. What do you think would happen?
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Bubbles Popping at 18,000 fps? Yeah, it’s as awesome as you think. Check out this new vid from the Slo-Mo Guys to see some crazy fluid dynamics at work. The world’s a very cool place at time scales beyond our own perception. For some of the science behind why bubbles form, take a look at this post.

The Slo-Mo Guys do a cool experiment to see whether a dropped object passes through the bubble thanks to gravity faster than the bubble pops. What do you think would happen?

Pop Goes The Dry Ice Bubbles!

I’m giving you a challenge at the end of this post, so stay with me. It’s a fun lesson!

First off, if you don’t follow Brusspup’s awesome science illusions, I highly recommend checking them out. Here’s his “best of” for 2012. It truly boggles the mind.

Look at the size of those dry ice bubbles! There is some awesome, and yet simple chemistry at work here. Most people are familiar with dry ice vapor: It’s frozen carbon dioxide turning into gas (and taking some frozen water vapor with it, which is why it’s white) when it’s placed in a bowl of warm water. Seen it a million times, right?

Then he uses a soap bubble to hold the vapor in the bowl, increasing the pressure until we get an explosion of sinking, heavier-than-air carbon dioxide vapor. Whoooooosh. But why does that work? What are bubbles anyway?

Soap molecules have two ends, one that likes water (it’s “hydrophilic”) and one that doesn’t (“hydrophobic”). This is why we use soap to clean greasy things using water, because it can stick to both, in a sense. The soap molecules actually trap the water in a thin layer, creating a film like this:

image

Soap bubbles are nothing more than thin layers of water held prisoner by soap! Mean old soap. As a force (like putting vapor inside) is added, the soap film wants to find the shape with the least surface area per volume, which happens to be a sphere.

image

The glycerin, a very thick and viscous hydrophilic molecule, helps make the water layer a bit more sticky so the bubble can get bigger before becoming unstable. Eventually the force of the vapor pressure is too much for the intermolecular stickiness of the soap film, and the soap layer rips apart, popping the bubble.

This is a pretty easy experiment to do at home. Think you can make a bigger bubble? Yes, that is a challenge. It’s your mission, should you choose to accept it.

Source: youtube.com

fuckyeahfluiddynamics:

If you find yourself some place really cold this holiday season, may I suggest stepping outside and having some fun freezing soap bubbles? The crystal growth is quite lovely, as seen in this photograph. If you live in warmer climes, fear not, you can always experiment in your freezer. It would be particularly fun, I think, to see how a half-bubble sitting on a cold plate freezes in comparison to a droplet like this one. (Video credit: Mount Washington Observatory)

Freezing soap bubbles is one if the few reasons I can think of to wish for truly freezing temperatures. Go do this!!!

Boo Bubbles!

If you’re interested in some science-themed Halloween fun, check out this recipe for a “Boo Bubble” machine, easily made from gear you can get at your local grocery or hardware store. Impress your friends with your ability to conjure up the geekiest, most sciencey spooky decorations in the neighborhood.

Note that the bubbles sink, thanks to the dry ice vapor (and the condensed water vapor that it brings with it) being heavier than air.

(thanks to SteveSpanglerScience)

Source: youtube.com

When Bubbles Get Comfortable Bubbles are supposed to be round, right? Well, not when they get packed together. Then something very special happens to the way they assemble and stabilize each other. As Robert Krulwich relays on his blog, speaking with Stanford’s Manu Prakash: Me: But why do they form angles? Why don’t they just get squished, like balloons mushed together? Manu: Well, to make this extra simple…Me: Feel free.Manu: …If you’re a bubble, the next best thing to being round is being a trio.Me: A what?Manu: A trio. A group of three. Three bubbles intersecting at a common point can persist, can stay bubbles.Me: Really?Manu: Yup. And here’s the fascinating part. Look at this freeze frame. Do you see something strangely beautiful here? It IS strangely beautiful. For more (and you know you want more), check out this awesome video on bubble geometries that inspired the question at hand. (via Krulwich Wonders… and Kim Pimmel on Vimeo)
Pop-upView Separately

When Bubbles Get Comfortable

Bubbles are supposed to be round, right?

Well, not when they get packed together. Then something very special happens to the way they assemble and stabilize each other. As Robert Krulwich relays on his blog, speaking with Stanford’s Manu Prakash:

Me: But why do they form angles? Why don’t they just get squished, like balloons mushed together? 
Manu: Well, to make this extra simple…
Me: Feel free.
Manu: …If you’re a bubble, the next best thing to being round is being a trio.
Me: A what?
Manu: A trio. A group of three. Three bubbles intersecting at a common point can persist, can stay bubbles.
Me: Really?
Manu: Yup. And here’s the fascinating part. Look at this freeze frame. Do you see something strangely beautiful here?

It IS strangely beautiful. For more (and you know you want more), check out this awesome video on bubble geometries that inspired the question at hand.

(via Krulwich Wonders… and Kim Pimmel on Vimeo)

Source: NPR