Class 11 Chemistry Gases & Solutions States of Matter
In a gravity free cabin, a non-conducting liquid of surface tension T and possessing uniform volume charge density p is sprayed into large number of drops. After spraying, the drops float around in the cabin and keep on breaking apart into smaller drops and coalescing into larger drops. While floating, the electrostatic forces between the drops are negligible. Estimate radius of the drops when their number reaches a stable value.
Solution: Total energy comprising of electrostatic potential energy and surface energy due to surface tension of all the drops eventually acquires a minimum value.