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It’s not magic, it’s acoustic levitation. The two metal probes emit and reflect sound waves that trap this liquid droplet in midair. Franziska Emmerling uses the effect to study crystallization without interference from container walls, which can influence the rate of crystal formation (Cryst. Growth Des. 2014, DOI: 10.1021/cg501287v). “In a typical experiment, we use an under saturated solution of a certain compound,” she says. “During the experiment, solvent evaporates from the droplet and the saturation level increases leading to nucleation and then crystallization.” In this photo, however, they’re just levitating blue ink to demonstrate the apparatus.
Emmerling (@FranEmmerling) submitted this photo as part of the #RealTimeChem photo contest. The two runners-up in the Reactions category were Henry Powell-Davies (@hpowelldavies) with his balloon reaction and the Townsend lab at Vanderbilt (@Townsend_Lab) with this well-composed flask shot.
Do science. Take pictures. Win money. Enter our photo contest here.
For more Chemistry in Pictures, visit our new home on cen.acs.org.
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