• Question: Why are bubbles round?

    Asked by beccawilko to Angus, Christian, Hannah, Laura, Simon on 26 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Hannah Bentham

      Hannah Bentham answered on 25 Jun 2013:


      Non-moving bubbles are perfectly sphere due to surface tension (the balance of the forces on the surface between the inside and the outside). According to LaPlace’s Law, the tension prefers to be at a minimum tension pulls the bubbles into spherical shapes.

      When the forces exerted on a bubble are not even from all sides, then the shape will be distorted, but generally it will still be round.

    • Photo: Laura Roberts Artal

      Laura Roberts Artal answered on 26 Jun 2013:


      Great answer Hannah!

    • Photo: Simon Holyoake

      Simon Holyoake answered on 26 Jun 2013:


      Fantastic answer!

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