Popping bubbles underwater

In summary, the conversation discusses whether it is possible to pop an underwater air bubble by poking at it. The speaker believes that it is not possible due to the lack of a thin film separating the air and water. However, another person brings up the concept of cavitation, where bubbles can form and collapse in low pressure regions, potentially causing damage. Therefore, the answer is both yes and no, depending on the method used to pop the bubble.
  • #1
KuifjePDX
1
0
If you poke at a soap bubble floating in air it pops. Can you make an underwater air bubble pop when you poke at it? I say no, my wife thinks you can.

What say you? And why?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
i guess you could break it into smaller bubbles, but it would not pop..the best you could do would be to break it up into so many bubbles that it appears to be dissolved, but that would depend on the temperature of the water.
 
  • #3
If you popped it underwater, where would the air go? And what would happen to the layer of water surrounding it?

The answer is clearly no. You could break it into a lot of pieces, maybe, perhaps so small that you couldn't see them with the naked eye, perhaps so small that they couldn't even really be called bubbles at all, but that's not really "popping" the bubble.
 
  • #4
KuifjePDX said:
If you poke at a soap bubble floating in air it pops. Can you make an underwater air bubble pop when you poke at it? I say no, my wife thinks you can.

What say you? And why?

I think you are forgetting that a soap bubble, in air, is a thin fluid film separating two volumes of air- popping the bubble means collapsing the film.

For an air bubble in water, there is no thin film- although you could conceivably make a thin air film separating two fluid volumes as above, and you could indeed pop that.
 
  • #5
Compare what you're describing to the phenomenon known as cavitation. You may not be able to initiate it by poking your slow moving bubble under water, but in a low pressure region caused by flow around a propeller screw you will often get bubble formation and collapse. This can generate significant shock effects, potentially leading to a great deal of damage.

My answer would be yes and no - it could happen, but probably not just poking it with your finger.
 

1. How do bubbles form underwater?

Bubbles form underwater when gases, such as oxygen or carbon dioxide, are released from a source, such as a fish or a plant, and rise to the surface of the water. As the bubbles rise, they collect any other gases that are dissolved in the water, creating a larger bubble.

2. Why do bubbles pop faster in cold water?

Bubbles tend to pop faster in cold water because cold water has a higher concentration of dissolved gases, such as oxygen, which are attracted to the surface of the bubble. This causes the bubble to shrink and eventually pop.

3. Can bubbles form in saltwater?

Yes, bubbles can form in saltwater just like in freshwater. However, saltwater typically has a higher concentration of dissolved gases, which makes it more difficult for bubbles to form and last for a longer period of time.

4. How does the depth of the water affect bubble formation?

The depth of the water can affect bubble formation in a few ways. As the depth increases, the water pressure also increases, which can compress the gases and make it more difficult for bubbles to form. Additionally, deeper waters may have different temperatures and concentrations of dissolved gases, which can also impact bubble formation.

5. Why do bubbles sometimes have different colors underwater?

Bubbles can appear to have different colors underwater due to the way light is refracted through the water. The colors of the bubble may also be influenced by the colors of objects or organisms that are nearby, as well as the angle at which the light hits the bubble.

Similar threads

Replies
23
Views
844
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • General Discussion
Replies
6
Views
865
  • Classical Physics
Replies
14
Views
1K
Replies
20
Views
3K
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
163
Replies
11
Views
1K
  • Mechanics
Replies
3
Views
3K
Back
Top