(Image: Pixabay CC0)
(Image: Pixabay CC0) - Experimental and theoretical physicists at Utrecht University have observed an unexpected phenomenon in mixtures of colloidal particles: the Brazil nut effect. The discovery is important for knowledge about matter, including colloids, polymers, liquid crystals and surfactants. But developers of paints and inks, and completely different disciplines, such as geology, will also benefit from understanding this phenomenon. The study recently appeared in the scientific journal PNAS . You've probably noticed it before: when you shake a nut mixture vigorously, the largest nuts, such as Brazil nuts, float to the top. The same goes for the coarser pieces in a pack of granola. It's funny really, because you would expect the heavier components to sink to the bottom due to gravity.
TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.
