Viscosity Experiments

Here is an experiment with the dilution of the paint.

Left to right we see undiluted, 1:1, and 1:2 dilutions.

Click each picture for a magnified view in a new window.

The number of branches off the longest branch is (left to right) 4, 7, and over 13.

It is hardly a surprise that the delicacy and number of branches increases as the viscosity of the paint is reduced.

The direction of pull is down --- that is, the papers are pulled apart on top first.

As the papers pull apart, the small ridges of paint coalesce into larger ridges, so the largest ridges are at the bottom of the picture.

Greater viscosity should give rise to thicker ridges.

Return to Tanja Geis' experiments.