Phenomena of liquid drop impact on solid and liquid surfaces

Abstract

The fluid dynamic phenomena of liquid drop impact are described and reviewed. These phenomena include bouncing, spreading and splashing on solid surfaces, and bouncing, coalescence and splashing on liquid surfaces. Further, cavitation and the entrainment of gas into an impacted liquid may be observed. In order to distinguish properly between the results of different experiments different impact scenarios are discussed. The specific conditions under which the above phenomena did occur in experiments are analyzed and the characteristics of drop impact phenomena are described in detail.