//Waves, Surface Tension, and Lenses//
This collection of photos illustrates three main physics concepts: waves, surface tension, and optical lenses. In each photo, the water in the dish forms waves. This is a result of a point on the water's surface being compressed, and then that disturbance rippling out in the form of the wave we see here. These photos show concentric waves (waves radiating in all directions from a central point).
A couple of these photos also illustrate the concept of surface tension. In the above photo, and the third below photo, drops of water were caught in midair in the photo. These drops of water stay in this spherical shape because it has the least amount of surface area. This smaller amount of surface area allows the water molecules to form strong bonds with each other without too many of them being disrupted by the surrounding molecules in the air.
In addition, these drops of water, as shown best in the above photograph, also act as optical lenses, inverting whatever scene is behind it, which in this case is the window. In the droplet, the image of the window is flipped both horizontally and vertically as light passes through the water.
A couple of these photos also illustrate the concept of surface tension. In the above photo, and the third below photo, drops of water were caught in midair in the photo. These drops of water stay in this spherical shape because it has the least amount of surface area. This smaller amount of surface area allows the water molecules to form strong bonds with each other without too many of them being disrupted by the surrounding molecules in the air.
In addition, these drops of water, as shown best in the above photograph, also act as optical lenses, inverting whatever scene is behind it, which in this case is the window. In the droplet, the image of the window is flipped both horizontally and vertically as light passes through the water.