The Duration of the Transient State in the Settling of Small Particles

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The general theory of the settling of small particles in a fluid is used to determine an upper limit for the time required to establish the steady, exponential distribution of density. It is shown that the steady state will, in in any case in which the initial distribution of particles is uniform, be sensibly attained in that length of time required by one of the particles, moving with the velocity given by Stoke's law, to fall two tube lengths. An examination of Burton's experiment (which sought to prove that the exponential distribution law holds for only very small depths below the surface) indicates that the steady state should have been reached in about 37 days. His failure to find any evidence of an exponential distribution of density after 50 days cannot be ascribed to an inadequacy in the time allowed for settling.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: