Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
Published on: December 4, 2017
Collective motion of vibrated polar disks
Julien Deseigne1, Olivier Dauchot, Hugues Chaté
1Service de Physique de l'Etat Condensé, CEA-Saclay, URA 2464 CNRS, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Abstract:
We experimentally study a monolayer of vibrated disks with a built-in polar asymmetry which enables them to move quasibalistically on a large persistence length. Alignment occurs during collisions as a result of self-propulsion and hard core repulsion. Varying the amplitude of the vibration, we observe the onset of large-scale collective motion and the existence of giant number fluctuations with a scaling exponent in agreement with the predicted theoretical value.
Related Concept Videos
Dynamics of Circular Motion
Any acceleration must be produced by some force. Therefore, any force or combination of forces can cause centripetal acceleration. A few examples include the tension in the rope on a...
Non-uniform Circular Motion
For example, such accelerations...
Curvilinear Motion: Polar Coordinates
The particle's location is described using a unit vector along the radial direction. Deriving the particle's position with respect to time...
Rotational Motion about a Fixed Axis
Dynamics Of Circular Motion: Applications
Uniform Circular Motion
