Paper 3, Section II, D

Fluid Dynamics | Part IB, 2018

A soap bubble of radius a(t)a(t) is attached to the end of a long, narrow straw of internal radius ϵ\epsilon and length LL, the other end of which is open to the atmosphere. The pressure difference between the inside and outside of the bubble is 2γ/a2 \gamma / a, where γ\gamma is the surface tension of the soap bubble. At time t=0,a=a0t=0, a=a_{0} and the air in the straw is at rest. Assume that the flow of air through the straw is irrotational and consider the pressure drop along the straw to show that subsequently

a3a¨+2a2a˙2=γϵ22ρL,a^{3} \ddot{a}+2 a^{2} \dot{a}^{2}=-\frac{\gamma \epsilon^{2}}{2 \rho L},

where ρ\rho is the density of air.

By multiplying the equation by 2aa˙2 a \dot{a} and integrating, or otherwise, determine an implicit equation for a(t)a(t) and show that the bubble disappears in a time

t=π2a02ϵ(ρL2γ)1/2t=\frac{\pi}{2} \frac{a_{0}^{2}}{\epsilon}\left(\frac{\rho L}{2 \gamma}\right)^{1 / 2}

[Hint: The substitution a=a0sinθa=a_{0} \sin \theta can be used.]

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