Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2025

Development of Whispering Gallery Mode Polymeric Micro-optical Electric Field Sensors
Published on: January 29, 2013
Contrast factor for standing-wave radiation forces on spheres: Series expansion in powers of sphere radius
1Physics and Astronomy Department, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2814, USAmarston@wsu.edu.
Abstract:
Recently researchers often normalize the radiation force on spheres in standing waves in inviscid fluids using an acoustic contrast factor (typically denoted by Φ) that is independent of kR where k is the wave number and R is the sphere radius. An alternative normalization uses a function Ys that depends on kR. Here, standard results for Φ are extended as a power series in kR using prior Ys results. Also, new terms are found for fluid spheres and applied to the kR dependence of Φ for strongly responsive and weakly responsive examples. Partial-wave phase shifts are used in the derivation.
Related Concept Videos
Gauss's Law: Spherical Symmetry
Electric Field of a Non Uniformly Charged Sphere
Consider a non-uniformly charged sphere, for which the density of charge depends only on the distance from a point in space and not on the direction. Such a sphere has a spherically symmetrical charge distribution. Here, the electric...
Modes of Standing Waves: II
For a tube open at one end and closed at the other filled with air, the modes are such that there is always an antinode at the open end and a node at the closed end....
Standing Electromagnetic Waves
Suppose a sheet of a perfect conductor is placed in the yz-plane, and a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave traveling in the...
Standing Waves in a Cavity
Spherical and Cylindrical Capacitor
Conventionally, considering the symmetry, the electric field between the concentric shells of a spherical capacitor is directed radially outward. The magnitude of the field,...

