Impact of granular drops.
We investigate the spreading and splashing of granular drops during impact with a solid target. The granular drops are formed from roughly spherical balls of sand mixed with water, which is used as a binder to hold the ball together during free-fall. We measure the instantaneous spread diameter for different impact speeds and find that the normalized spread diameter d/D grows as (tV/D)(1/2). The speeds of the grains ejected during the "splash" are measured and they rarely exceed twice that of the impact speed.
Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
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Marston
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Mansoor
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Thoroddsen