IV. Impact with a liquid surface studied by the aid of instantaneous photography. Paper II

Abstract

In a previous paper (‘Philosophical Transactions,’ A, 1897, vol. 189, p. 137) we have drawn attention to the fact that the disturbance set up in a liquid by the impact of a rough sphere falling into it, differs in a very remarkable manner from that which follows the entry of a smooth sphere. In the present paper we describe further experiments, made with the object of ascertaining the reason of this difference, and give the conclusions reached. It appeared desirable, in the first place, to take instantaneous photographs of the disturbed liquid below the water-line. These were easily obtained by letting the splash take place in an approximately parallel-sided thin glass vessel (an inverted clock-shade) illuminated from behind. The liquid surface when undisturbed was about level with the middle of the camera-lens, which was focussed for the sphere when under water. The general arrangement of the optical apparatus will be suffi­ciently understood from the accompanying cut (fig. 1). The method of timing the illumination was that already described ( loc. cit. ).