The Three-Dimensional Shapes of Bubbles in Foams

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Abstract
Bubbles of specified volume were produced by injecting into a dish 0.05, 0.1, or 0.4 ml. of air out of a syringe whose tip had been dipped into a soln. of 7.5 parts triethanolamine oleate, 34 parts glycerine and 58.5 parts water. When a mass of bubbles of uniform volume were examined, 400 of the peripheral bubbles had an av. of 11 faces ranging from triangles to octagonals. Among 600 central bubbles, however, the average number of contacts was 13.7, with pentagonal faces predominating. There was considerable variation and no one form constitutes "the type." When bubbles of 2 sizes are used, the small bubbles have fewer contacts, the large bubbles more contacts, than with homogeneous bubbles. As the % of small to large bubbles is increased, the av. number of faces increases. The author concludes that animal and plant cells are intermediate in form between bubbles in foam and compressed lead shot, and that surface forces are of relatively less moment in cellular organization than in soap films, though they constitute one factor in cell shape determination.