Fascinating Physics of Fluids and Surface Movement

Mesmerizing video puts the physics of liquid in motion. Students and families can explore related science with hands-on activities that are fun to do at home or in the classroom.

Image: screenshot from video that accompanies "Tiny Internal Tornadoes Bring Drops to Life," New York Times. (Click to view video and read the article.)

A recent article by James Gorman in the New York Times showcases fascinating research related to the behavior and movement of fluids. In the video (linked above), Gorman summarizes the physics behind the research of Dr. Manu Prakash.

The video shows numerous examples of colorful drops moving, chasing, and climbing, often in response to other drops. The movement of the droplets is mesmerizing to watch!

For students who are captivated by the moving droplets of colorful liquid, the following family-friendly science activities and science fair projects on surfactants and surface tension make for a great tie-in and opportunity to explore related science concepts with a fun, hands-on experiment:

• Make a Milk Rainbow
• Powering a Raft with Surface Tension
• Investigating Surface Tension with Paper Fish