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PG 0003

The document discusses dimensional analysis to determine the frequency of water droplet vibrations and speed of sound. It examines how frequency depends on radius, density, surface tension, and gravity. It is argued that surface tension dominates so gravity can be ignored, leading to an expression for frequency in terms of radius, density, and surface tension. The speed of sound in air and water is estimated using pressure, density, and bulk modulus. Speeds of capillary and long wavelength water waves are also determined from dimensional analysis.

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Boldie Lutwig
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26 views1 page

PG 0003

The document discusses dimensional analysis to determine the frequency of water droplet vibrations and speed of sound. It examines how frequency depends on radius, density, surface tension, and gravity. It is argued that surface tension dominates so gravity can be ignored, leading to an expression for frequency in terms of radius, density, and surface tension. The speed of sound in air and water is estimated using pressure, density, and bulk modulus. Speeds of capillary and long wavelength water waves are also determined from dimensional analysis.

Uploaded by

Boldie Lutwig
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Kevin Zhou Physics Olympiad Handouts

(b) The typical frequency f of a small water droplet freely vibrating in zero gravity could depends
on its radius R, density ρ, surface tension γ, and the gravitational constant G. Argue that at
least one of these parameters doesn’t matter, and find an expression for f up to a dimensionless
constant.

Solution. (a) We just do the usual dimensional analysis,

m3
[f ] = s−1 [R] = m [ρ] = kg/m3 [G] =
kg · s2

To cancel out kg, multiplying G and ρ will yield [ρG] = s−2 . Then to get [f ] = s−1 ,

f ∼ Gρ ∼ 3 × 10−4 Hz
p

which is in the right range. These oscillations are measured in the field of helioseismology.
Another application of this result is that the time needed for a ball of gas of density ρ to
√
collapse is of order 1/ Gρ, called the free fall time. This timescale plays an important role
in structure formation in the early universe.

(b) In this case the surface tension force dominates; the gravitational forces of the droplet on itself
are negligible, so we can drop G. Performing dimensional analysis with R, ρ, and γ gives
r
γ
f∼ .
ρR3

Of course, part (a) is equivalent to starting with the same set of four parameters and dropping
γ, which makes sense since the objects considered are huge.

[3] Problem 4. Some questions about the speed of waves. For all estimates, you can look up any
numbers you need.

(a) The speed of sound in an ideal gas depends on its pressure p and density ρ. Explain why we
don’t have to use the temperature T or ideal gas constant R in the dimensional analysis, and
then estimate the speed of sound in air.

(b) The speed of sound in a fluid depends only on its density ρ and bulk modulus B = −V dP/dV .
Estimate the speed of sound in water, which has B = 2.1 GPa.

The speed of waves on top of the surface of water can depend on the water depth h, the wavelength
λ, the density ρ, the surface tension γ, and the gravitational acceleration g.

(c) Find the speed of capillary waves, i.e. water waves of very short wavelength, up to a dimen-
sionless constant.

(d) Find the speed of long-wavelength waves in very deep water, up to a dimensionless constant.

Solution. (a) We don’t have to use R or T because all that matters is the restoring force,
determined by p, and the inertia, determined by ρ. So we have
kg kg
[p] = , [ρ] =
m s2 m3

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