Collapse dynamics of liquid bridges investigated by time-varying magnetic levitation
Using a novel technique that facilitates temporal control over the total body force on a liquid, an unexpected scaling relationship was discovered for the collapse time of a liquid bridge. A paramagnetic liquid was suspended between the tips of two collinear rods in a strong magnetic field gradient that was adjusted to compensate gravity. A sudden change of the magnet current, corresponding to a change of Bond number, resulted in a deformation and ultimate collapse of the liquid bridge. The collapse time was found to be independent of the bridge length when other parameters were held constant.
Mahajan
MP
Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
Tsige
M
Zhang
S
Alexander
JI
Taylor
PL
Rosenblatt
C