Impact Dynamics of Soap Bubbles

Thin-film soap bubbles have potential in industrial applications in the spreading of liquids when they burst. The motion of spherical bubbles of consistent volumes has not been characterized fully. This study analyzes the dynamics of spherical soap bubbles during free fall and upon impact with a rigid surface. Similar to water droplets, their spreading dynamics exhibit two phases: the inertial and capillary regimes. Preliminary results also indicate that increased viscosity shifts the transition time from the inertial to the capillary regime. The spreading radius in the inertial regime follows t^1/2 while it behaves t^1/10 in the capillary regime, the same as Tanner's Law. By correlating experimental results with mathematical models, this work attempts to explain the role of thin-film properties in governing bubble motions and deformation.