Capillary effects at newly formed liquid–liquid contacts

Abstract

Capillary processes occurring right after the instant of contact between two liquids are studied. The geometry considered is that of a drop touching the plane free surface of a pool. Based on energy arguments we first show that right after the instant of contact pool liquid can spread up the surface of the drop. The dynamics of the fluid motion caused by capillarity are then described by a Lagrangian equation of motion and compared to experimental data of the literature.