Uncovering Surprising Drag Effects on Partially-Submerged Objects

Researchers at Brown University have conducted experiments to study how water flows around partially submerged spheres and have made several unexpected discoveries. They found that partially submerged objects experience greater drag than fully submerged objects, even at low flow speeds. Additionally, they discovered that spheres with a water-repellent (hydrophobic) coating experience greater drag than spheres with a water-attracting (hydrophilic) coating, contrary to current understanding. These findings could lead to a better understanding of fluid flow in biological systems and potentially improve the design of ships, aircraft, and small-scale autonomous robots.