Rising bubble

A small spherical gas bubble of diameter d = 4 μ m d=4~\mu \mbox{m} forms at the bottom of a pond. When the bubble rises to the surface its diameter is n = 1.1 n=1.1 times bigger. What is the depth in meters of the pond?

Details and assumptions

The atmospheric pressure is p A = 1 0 5 Pa p_{A}=10^{5}~\mbox{Pa} , the acceleration of gravity is g = 9.8 m / s 2 g=9.8~\text{m}/{\text{s}^{2}} and water's surface tension and density are σ = 73 × 1 0 3 N / m \sigma=73\times 10^{-3}~\text{N}/\text{m} and ρ = 1 × 1 0 3 kg / m 3 \rho=1\times 10^{3}~\text{kg}/\text{m}^3 , respectively. The gas expansion is assumed to be isothermal.


The answer is 4.94.

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1 solution

The pressure and volume of the bubble when it is at the bottom of the pond are:

p 1 = p A + ρ g h + 2 σ r = p A + ρ g h + 4 σ d p_1=p_A+\rho g h+\frac{2\sigma}{r}=p_A+\rho g h+\frac{4\sigma}{d}

V 1 = 4 3 π r 3 V_1=\frac{4}{3} \pi r^3 .

The pressure and volume of the bubble when it rises to the surface are:

p 2 = p A + 2 σ r = p A + 4 σ n d p_2=p_A+\frac{2\sigma}{r'}=p_A+\frac{4\sigma}{nd}

V 2 = 4 3 π n 3 r 3 V_2=\frac{4}{3} \pi n^3 r^3 .

Since the gas expansion is isothermal, we have: p 1 V 1 = p 2 V 2 p_1V_1=p_2V_2

Therefore, p A + ρ g h + 4 σ d = n 3 ( p A + 4 σ n d ) p_A+\rho g h+\frac{4\sigma}{d}=n^3 (p_A+\frac{4\sigma}{nd}) .

So, h = n 3 ( p A + 4 σ n d ) ( p A + 4 σ d ) ρ g = 4.94 ( m ) h=\frac{n^3 (p_A+\frac{4\sigma}{nd})-(p_A+\frac{4\sigma}{d})}{\rho g}=4.94(m) .

nice

Chitres Guria - 7 years, 3 months ago

Wont surtace tension due to water reduce the pressure inside the bubble as it tend contract at surface of the bubble?🙋😊

Hari Govind Sekhar - 3 years, 3 months ago

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I agree, it should be negative.

Laszlo Mihaly - 3 years, 3 months ago

why is this 2 σ \sigma /r and not 4 σ \sigma /r...since there are 4 surfaces

rajdeep brahma - 3 years ago

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This is not a soap bubble that has two surfaces. This is a bubble in the water, with one surface.

Laszlo Mihaly - 3 years ago

Good one!

william s - 7 years, 7 months ago

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Thank you William!

Đinh Ngọc Hải - 7 years, 7 months ago

Why is it + 2sigma/r I thought it was 4sigma/r?

Dinh Ngoc Duc - 7 years, 7 months ago

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Thanks for your comment. It would be 4 σ r \frac{4\sigma}{r} if the bubble is on the air since it will have 2 layers. But in the water, it only has 1 layer between the air inside the bubble and the water, so it would be 2 σ r \frac{2\sigma}{r} .

Đinh Ngọc Hải - 7 years, 7 months ago

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