MECHANICS. -- Permanent slow motion of a viscous liquid sphere in a viscous liquid. Note from Mr J. Hadamard, presented by Mr H. Poincare.

The laws of the fall of a solid sphere in a viscous liquid are well known for Stokes. It is not the same when the falling sphere is itself assumed to be liquid. But this question is involved in research that led to the determination of the size of atoms and which led to a series of important experimental work, or Stokes' law has been applied, and, on the other hand, as Perrin1 noted, there is no evidence that the application of this law is legitimate because it has been established for the case of a rigid sphere. We will show that the problem can be treated by the same method as Stokes, at least if, as Stokes himself assumes the slow motion to neglect the square of speed. The notations will be adopted (except looking at pressure, as will be said later) those of Basset (Treatise on Hydrodynamics, vol. II, Chap. XX and XXI). Index 1 will refer to the liquid inside the sphere. We denote by \rho, \rho1 both densities, and \mu, \mu1 two viscosities. We will introduce two stream functions \psi, \psi1 satisfactory, since the motion must be satisfy these equations [Basset, loc. cit., p. 270, formula (39)] D2\psi = D2\psi1 = 0 Or, with the notation of Basset, p. 262 (formula 13), ( )

The velocities R, along the direction of the radius vector and the perpendicular direction are given by (in the external fluid) the following formulas [Basset, p. 261, formula (13)] (My notes: See BSL for the definition of stream function in spherical coordinates and invert the signs.) The pressure will be evaluated with the help of formulas (relating respectively to the two phases) [Basset, p. 243, and p. 262, formula (6)]: Eqns. (4) and (5) We must admit that at the surface of separation, that is to say (assuming that it is spherical) for the value determined r = a, we have Eqns. (6), (7) and (8) Relations (6) expressing their adhesion, while (7) and (8) express the transmission of the force [to radial (7), to tangential (8) of one liquid on the other]. We will try to meet these various conditions, taking both for \psi and \psi1, expressions of the form:

Comptes rendus, May 1, 1911, p. 1167, see in the same issue, the communication of Mr Roux, on the charge of the electron.

For the above mentioned reasons, the last two terms must disappear in \psi. Instead, the first two terms must disappear in \psi1, so that the speed is finite at the centre. We will therefore take; \psi = sin2\theta (A/r + Br) \psi1 = sin2\theta (C1r2 + D1r4) A, B, C1 and D1 are constant coefficients. Carrying in the equations (6) and (8), these are reduced respectively to We get three equations. Now to get the pressures for (7) normal stress balance, we use (4) and (5). The motion of the sphere, as defined by the second formula (i) having regard to the expressions (3 ') of R1, Q1, can be considered as the sum of a general translation speed V = 2(C1 + D1a2) and an additional motion M1, which, over the entire surface r = a, is tangential. So, in our assumptions, the spherical shape is retained, and V, defined by the previous formula, the rate of fall is to be included in our final result. By solving the equations a, b, c, d, with respect to A, B, C, D, and in reference (II), it is: Equation : (III) If viscosity ratio (in/out) is very large (Equation without number) The formula presented, with experimental results obtained as at present (and still unpublished), has notable differences. So it seems until further notice, that in the case studied, the classical hypothesis which we started must be modified.

Comptes rendus, May 1, 1911, p. 1167, see in the same issue, the communication of Mr Roux, on the charge of the electron.