When a drop of water falls on a glass surface, it causes a splash due to the transfer of energy from its downward momentum to a horizontal direction.
This sudden energy shift forms a liquid sheet called a lamella, which is lifted from the glass by a thin layer of gas and pressure differences, leading to droplets breaking off and creating the splash.
Splashing is studied in fields like ink-jet printing, combustion, and surface coating because it can have both positive and negative effects
such as smudging ink or helping remove carbon dioxide in power plants.
Researchers from multiple countries have found that splashing can be prevented by electrically charging the water drop before it hits a surface.
Scientists found that if a falling drop is electrically charged using a copper hoop connected to a circuit, the splash can be reduced or completely prevented.
The effect works only when the surface is insulating because conducting surfaces would neutralize the charge and allow the splash to happen.
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