All articles tagged with #triboluminescence
High-speed footage and synchronized audio reveal that Scotch tape peels via narrow transverse cracks racing across the tape at 250–600 m/s (roughly 560–1340 mph). The rapid cracks leave a temporary vacuum that travels with the crack to the tape edge, collapsing and producing a final sound pulse—the familiar screech is essentially a tiny sonic boom.
A new Physical Review E study shows the tape’s screeching when peeled arises from a train of transverse cracks that travel faster than sound in air and generate a series of shock waves as they reach the tape edge, confirmed by synchronized high-speed imaging and audio measurements.
Chinese astrophotographer Shengyu Li captured a mysterious blue light during an avalanche on Mount Xiannairi, Sichuan. The phenomenon, believed to be triboluminescence, occurs when materials emit light due to friction or breaking of chemical bonds. This rare event was triggered by an icy serac breaking free and fragmenting, causing the blue light to flash. The occurrence is both thrilling and intriguing, as it has not been previously documented.
A rare natural phenomenon was captured on Mount Xiannairi in Sichuan, China, where an avalanche emitted a mysterious blue light. Astrophotographer Shengyu Li recorded the event, sparking scientific interest and theories about its cause. Possible explanations include triboluminescence, where ice friction emits light, or electric field effects causing charge separation and discharge in the ice. This unprecedented observation offers new insights into the physical properties of ice and avalanche dynamics.
Astrophotographer Li Shengyu captured mysterious blue flashes during an avalanche on Mount Xian Nairi in China, potentially caused by triboluminescence, a phenomenon where light is emitted when crystals are fractured. This rare observation, also noted by another photographer on Muztagh Ata, could provide insights into avalanche dynamics and ice composition, while posing intriguing questions for molecular physics.