Tea in Milk: Reasons for Floating Upwards

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When cold milk is added to tea, it initially sinks due to its density but then floats upwards, primarily due to the circulatory motion created during pouring. The mixing of the two liquids leads to convective currents, which help bring the milk back to the surface. While the density of milk is slightly higher than that of water, it is not enough to keep it at the bottom. The discussion also touches on the importance of how the milk is added, as pouring creates different dynamics compared to floating it on top. Overall, the behavior of milk in tea is influenced by density, temperature, and the mixing process.
springBreeze
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While my friend was making a nice cup of British tea today, I noticed that when he put cold milk into the tea, it first sank but then almost immediately afterwards floated upwards. He thought it could be that the cold milk warmed up and hence floated to the top since warmer liquids are less dense. Is that the only reason or are there others?
 
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He added milk to tea ... shakes head ...
 
springBreeze said:
He thought it could be that the cold milk warmed up and hence floated to the top since warmer liquids are less dense.
Well, the milk didn't get warmer than the tea it was sitting in, now did it?

1] Fat floats in water.
2] Pouring a liquid into another liquids will tend to set up a circulatory system. bringing the milk back up top.
 
I am with Dave's 2 - I would bet mainly on circulation. Milk density is slightly higher than that of water, but not enough to stay on the bottom. Most likely any other liquid with density and viscosity similar to that of water will behave exactly the same way, milk is just easier to see.
 
mgb_phys said:
He added milk to tea ... shakes head ...

You have milk without tea:confused: Why?
 
mgb_phys said:
He added milk to tea ... shakes head ...

Echo that.
 
madmike159 said:
You have milk without tea:confused: Why?

Woops I ment tea without milk lol. disgusting
 
springBreeze said:
While my friend was making a nice cup of British tea today, I noticed that when he put cold milk into the tea, it first sank but then almost immediately afterwards floated upwards. He thought it could be that the cold milk warmed up and hence floated to the top since warmer liquids are less dense. Is that the only reason or are there others?

I'm sure part of the answer is becasue he *poured* it in, rather than floated it on (i.e. black and tans, pousse-cafe drinks, etc.). Then, because milk and tea are miscible, mixing ocurred along with whater convective-inertial flow ocurred.
 
Milk with Tea FOR THE WIN
 
  • #10
NoobixCube said:
Milk with Tea FOR THE WIN

Hell yea, were going of topic though.
 

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