Measuring the Cheerios Force (VIDEO)
Caption
In a finding that could be useful in designing small aquatic robots, researchers have measured the forces that cause small objects to cluster together on the surface of a liquid -- a phenomenon known as the "Cheerios effect." Here, two plastic disks, Cheerio stand-ins, were placed in a tub of liquid. One disk had a small magnet inside. Electrical coils surrounding the tub created a magnetic field, which was used to pull the disks apart. By measuring the intensity of the magnetic field at the moment the disks began moving away from each other, the researchers could derive the attractive force between the disks.
Credit
Harris Lab / Brown University
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