why do fluids fall in a spherical shape?

Question

like in a leaf when the dew drops fall frm it falls like a pearl round in shape is it something related wit density of air or pressure of air plz explain

Answer 1

All of the answers regarding surface tension are correct, but fail to note how that works:

Surface tension is, as its name implies, a TENSION force. All of the water molecules on the surface PULL TOWARD each other to form an elastic "skin" around the drop. The tension tends to reduce the surface area of the drop to its minimum, and a sphere is the shape with the minimum surface area for any given volume.

Answer 2

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RE:
why do fluids fall in a spherical shape?
like in a leaf when the dew drops fall frm it falls like a pearl round in shape is it something related wit density of air or pressure of air plz explain

Answer 3

It's to do with surface tension. Water molecules are attracted to each other. At the surface they pull down upon each other, but are not attracted as strongly to the surrounding air. The resultant shape is a sphere.

See the wikipedia article on surface tension for a good diagram.

See the youtube videoclip for a water balloon being burst in space, which really illustrates the effect nicely!

Cheers,
Ben

Answer 4

It is more related to the skin effect of liquids. Basically, the surface of the liquid forms a "skin" due to surface tension that holds the rest of the liquid back and forms the drop shape. Basic physics dictate that with this effect the drop will be in a generally spherical shape.

Answer 5

Yes, it is surface tesion. For a given volume, a spherical shape has the smallest surface area. Since the the surface tension "pulls inward", the resulting shape will have the minimum possible surface area, this resuls in a sphere.

Answer 6

The surface tension of the liquid causes it to form a spherical shape.

JeffM

Answer 7

They fall in a spherical shape because of surface tension. Surface tension, just in case you don't know, is that "skin" that in on top of water...it's the reason bugs can walk on water and paper clips can float on water. It is created through something called the hydrogen bond.

Answer 8

It is spherical because it is the optimum shape to be in. The air pressure exerts equal pressure all around so it forms a sphere which makes the SHORTEST and equal point from the centre to EVERY OTHER points on the surface.

Answer 9

Because that is the easiest shape that the dew droplet's surface tension will allow it to hold on the surface of our planet, while in free-fall--however in zero gravity a physicist by the name of Buckminster discovered that droplets of water take on a polyhedronal shape--kind of like a crystalline structure--now those strange configurations bear his name (well sort of)--"Buckey Balls".

Answer 10

I agree the drop shape is probably aerodynamically easiest...but I think the cohesive forces between the water molecules is what keeps the drop intact and more or less spherical