An uphill drop

2007/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Fisika

A group of mathematicians from Bristol University have managed to raise a drop of sloping liquid. For this purpose they strongly hit the surface forming the slope, up and down. It has been explained that the force that occurs when shaking the surface must be greater than the surface tension of the drop, since otherwise the drop will remain attached to the surface. However, the liquid cannot be of any kind: the drop cannot be very large or very small, since if it were too large it would be poured out by the surface before shaking it and if it were too small it would not move agitated either. Also, to prevent it from breaking when stirring, it should be denser than water.