A note on the force on an accelerating spherical drop at low-Reynolds number

Abstract

The time-dependent drag force on a spherical drop is analyzed for the linear limit of small Reynolds numbers. There is an error in literature on the generalization of the known Basset memory kernel of a rigid sphere to the case of a drop. Correct results are presented here. A new overshooting effect is found if thermocapillarity is driving the drop motion rather than gravity.