Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Characteristics of Fluids

Characteristics of Fluids

When a force is applied parallel to the top surface of a solid, it resists the applied force due to the internal frictional forces between the layers of the solid known as shearing resistance. However, when the force is removed, the shearing forces restore the original shape of the solid. Other deformation forces also cause temporary changes in shape if the forces are not beyond a threshold magnitude. Solids tend to retain their shape, making the study of their rest and motion easier. Beyond...

Characteristics of Fluids

Characteristics of Fluids

Fluids differ from solids primarily in their molecular structure and stress response. Solids have tightly packed molecules with strong intermolecular forces, maintaining their shape and resisting deformation. In contrast, fluids have molecules spaced farther apart with weaker forces, allowing them to flow and deform easily.
Fluids, which include both liquids and gases, are substances that deform continuously under shearing stress. For example, water and oil are liquids with molecules that can...

Eulerian and Lagrangian Flow Descriptions

Eulerian and Lagrangian Flow Descriptions

Fluid flow analysis is critical in many scientific and engineering disciplines, and two principal approaches are used to describe this flow: the Eulerian and Lagrangian methods. These methods offer different perspectives on monitoring and analyzing the motion of fluids, each with distinct advantages depending on the scenario.
The Eulerian method focuses on fixed points in space where fluid properties, such as velocity, pressure, and temperature, are observed as the fluid moves between these...

Dimensionless Groups in Fluid Mechanics

Dimensionless Groups in Fluid Mechanics

Dimensionless groups in fluid mechanics provide simplified ratios that help analyze fluid behavior without relying on specific units. The Reynolds number (Re), which represents the ratio of inertial to viscous forces, distinguishes between laminar and turbulent flows, making it essential in the design of pipelines and aerodynamic surfaces. The Froude number (Fr), the ratio of inertial to gravitational forces, is particularly useful in predicting wave formation and hydraulic jumps in...

Laminar and Turbulent Flow

Laminar and Turbulent Flow

Fluid dynamics is the study of fluids in motion. Velocity vectors are often used to illustrate fluid motion in applications like meteorology. For example, wind—the fluid motion of air in the atmosphere—can be represented by vectors indicating the speed and direction of the wind at any given point on a map. Another method for representing fluid motion is a streamline. A streamline represents the path of a small volume of fluid as it flows. When the flow pattern changes with time, the streamlines...

Pressure Variation in a Fluid at Rest

Pressure Variation in a Fluid at Rest

In a fluid at rest, the pressure at any point beneath the fluid surface depends solely on the depth, not on the container's shape or size. This principle, known as hydrostatic pressure, arises because, in stationary fluids, there is no acceleration, meaning the forces within the fluid balance out. Only vertical forces, caused by the weight of the fluid above, contribute to pressure changes with depth.
When measuring pressure at two different levels within the fluid, the difference in pressure...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Entropic alignment of topologically modified ring polymers in cylindrical confinement.

Physical review. E·2026

Same author

Interaction of Pf4 tactoids with bacteria and synthetic colloidal rods.

European biophysics journal : EBJ·2026

Same author

The theory of epidemics with altruism.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Effective interactions in active Brownian particles.

Soft matter·2026

Same author

Self-organized social distancing during epidemics when the force of infection depends on susceptible and infectious behavior.

Mathematical biosciences and engineering : MBE·2026

Same author

Disentangling the Effects of Curvature and Misorientation on the Shrinkage Behavior of Loop-Shaped Grain Boundaries.

Physical review letters·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Published on: May 20, 2014

Localization dynamics of fluids in random confinement.

Thomas O E Skinner¹, Simon K Schnyder, Dirk G A L Aarts

¹Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom.

Physical Review Letters

|October 8, 2013

Summary

Fluid dynamics in random obstacle environments show a transition from widespread movement to localized trapping as obstacle density increases. This study reveals a rounded transition in these complex fluid systems.

More Related Videos

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

Published on: December 4, 2017

The Diffusion of Passive Tracers in Laminar Shear Flow

The Diffusion of Passive Tracers in Laminar Shear Flow

Published on: May 1, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 7, 2026

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Published on: May 20, 2014

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

Published on: December 4, 2017

The Diffusion of Passive Tracers in Laminar Shear Flow

The Diffusion of Passive Tracers in Laminar Shear Flow

Published on: May 1, 2018

Area of Science:

Physics
Soft Matter Physics
Computational Physics

Background:

Understanding fluid behavior in complex, disordered environments is crucial for various scientific and engineering applications.
Confined fluids exhibit unique dynamic properties influenced by obstacle geometry and density.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the dynamics of two-dimensional fluids confined within a random matrix of obstacles.
To characterize the transition from delocalized to localized tracer particle motion as a function of matrix area fraction.

Main Methods:

Colloidal model experiments were conducted to observe fluid dynamics.
Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to model an ideal gas in a disordered matrix.
Tracer particle dynamics were analyzed at varying fluid and matrix area fractions.

Main Results:

Delocalized tracer particle dynamics were observed at low matrix area fractions, transitioning to localized motion at high fractions.
In the delocalized regime, dynamics were subdiffusive at intermediate times and diffusive at long times.
Localized dynamics revealed trapping within finite pockets of the matrix, consistent with simulations.

Conclusions:

The study demonstrates a delocalization-to-localization transition in two-dimensional confined fluids.
Lorentz gas systems with soft interactions exhibit a smoothened critical dynamics, leading to a rounded transition.
Experimental and simulation results align, validating the model for disordered fluid dynamics.