Shape oscillations of a charged diamagnetically-levitated droplet

Abstract

We investigate the effect of electrical charge on the normal mode frequencies of electrically-charged diamagnetically levitated water droplets with radii 4.5-7.5 mm using diamagnetic levitation. This technique allows us to levitate almost spherical droplets and therefore to directly compare the measured vibrational frequencies of the first seven modes of the charged droplet with theoretical values calculated by Lord Rayleigh, for which we find good agreement.