Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Distortion of Fluid Drops in the Stokesian Region

Abstract

IN an investigation of circulation inside drops moving in a viscous medium, the drop size has been varied in order to determine the factors affecting the minimum size at which circulation can be detected. With some systems, such as water drops in castor oil, circulation commences at a Reynolds number in the range 0.03–0.1 (drop diameter 10–20 mm.), whereas with other systems such as chloroform or carbon tetrachloride in glycerol, circulation begins at much lower Reynolds number of 0.0003–0.001 (drop diameter 1–3 mm.). The interfacial tensions of the two systems are not widely different.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Arnold, H. D., Phil. Mag., Ser. 6, 22, 755 (1911).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Savic, P., “Circulation and Distortion of Liquid Drops Falling through a Viscous Medium”, Report, National Research Council of Canada (July 1953).

  3. Hadamard, M. J., C.R. Acad. Sci., Paris, 152, 1735 (1911).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

GARNER, F., MATHUR, K. & JENSON, V. Distortion of Fluid Drops in the Stokesian Region. Nature 180, 331–332 (1957). https://doi.org/10.1038/180331a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/180331a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing