Drop of water in slow motion - explanation needed

[Chen]

Please see here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5bsQ_YDYCI&feature=player_embedded#

First - wow.

Second - I'm not sure I understand the mathematician's explanation. Why would there be a thin layer of air to begin with? Is this correct? Is there a different explanation for this phenomenon?

Thanks,
Chen

 

[Lok]

Beautiful stuff.

Air is all around us so it will be between those surfaces. Air close to mater behaves differently o so slightly and it sticks somewhat to the surface, making it's removal harder. The process is fast in the clip shot with the highspeedcam. An example is a empty coffee cup that floats a bit when dropped from a small distance on a table.

Plus that liquids have strong surface tension which makes for the very fast connection of the two surfaces once they connect, and keeps the spherical shape of the droplet. The process is energeticly positive it gives out energy stored in the surface tension.

 

[torquil]

First - wow.

Agreed.