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Viscosity01:17

Viscosity

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When water is poured into a glass, it falls freely and quickly, whereas if honey or maple syrup is poured over a pancake, it flows slowly and sticks to the surface of the container. This difference in the flow of different kinds of liquids arises due to the fluid friction between the liquid layers and the liquid and the surrounding material. This property of fluids is called fluid viscosity. In this example, water has a lower viscosity than honey and maple syrup.
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Viscosity01:27

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Viscosity is a property of fluids that measures their resistance to flow. It is influenced by factors such as the surface area of contact, the gradient of flow speed, and the fluid's viscosity constant, called the coefficient of viscosity. The coefficient of viscosity, also known as dynamic viscosity, is denoted by the symbol η. It determines the proportionality between the viscous force and the gradient of flow speed.Newton's law of viscosity states that the viscous force on a...
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Capillarity in Fluid01:19

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Capillarity describes the movement of liquid in small spaces without external forces acting on it. The capillarity is driven by surface tension and adhesive interactions between the liquid and surrounding solid surfaces. This effect is often seen in narrow tubes, porous materials, and fine particles.
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Viscosity of Fluid01:19

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Viscosity measures the resistance a fluid offers to flow and deformation. It results from internal friction between layers of fluid moving relative to one another. Dynamic viscosity, denoted by the Greek letter mu (μ), quantifies the force needed to move one fluid layer over another. For Newtonian fluids like water and air, the relationship between the shearing stress and the rate of shearing strain is linear, meaning their viscosity remains constant regardless of the applied stress.
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Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity02:57

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Surface Tension
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
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When very thin cylindrical tubes, called capillaries, are dipped in a liquid, the liquid rises or falls in the tube compared to the surrounding liquid. This phenomenon is called capillary action. Capillary action occurs due to the combination of two opposing forces: the cohesive forces of the liquid, which cause it to stick to itself and form a rounded shape, and the adhesive forces between the liquid and the walls of the container, which cause the liquid to be attracted to the container walls.
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Film Control to Study Contributions of Waves to Droplet Impact Dynamics on Thin Flowing Liquid Films
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Universal evolution of a viscous-capillary spreading drop.

Sumesh P Thampi1, Ignacio Pagonabarraga2, Ronojoy Adhikari3

  • 1Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India.

Soft Matter
|July 5, 2016
PubMed
Summary

A universal equation describes how liquid drops spread or retract on surfaces, determined solely by surface wettability. This finding unifies known behaviors and aids in understanding droplet dynamics in nanofluidics.

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Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Fluid Dynamics

Background:

  • Droplet dynamics on surfaces involve a balance between surface tension and hydrodynamic flow.
  • Existing models lack a general rate equation for droplet spreading and retraction.
  • Understanding these dynamics is crucial for applications in nanofluidics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a universal rate equation for droplet evolution on a substrate.
  • To investigate the influence of contact angle and substrate wettability on droplet dynamics.
  • To provide a theoretical foundation for studying droplet behavior under various conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Extensive numerical simulations of droplet evolution.
  • Parameterization of drop radius based on contact angle.
  • Quantitative comparison with lubrication theory predictions.

Main Results:

  • A universal evolution law for droplet radius was identified, dependent only on substrate wettability.
  • The study recovered known exponential and algebraic asymptotic regimes.
  • Numerical results quantitatively matched lubrication theory, highlighting contact line dissipation.

Conclusions:

  • The derived universal evolution provides a comprehensive model for droplet spreading and retraction.
  • Contact line dissipation is identified as a critical factor governing droplet dynamics.
  • This work lays the groundwork for analyzing droplet behavior influenced by external fields and thermal fluctuations in nanofluidics.