The effect of electric charges upon collisions between equal‐size water drops in air

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Abstract
Streak photographs of collisions between equal‐size drops carrying electric charges of opposite sign show a marked attraction immediately before coalescence occurs. For drops of radius R < 40 μ, the coalescence rate increases linearly with drop charge once a threshold value of about 5 × 10−5 e.s.u. has been reached; below this threshold there is no effect. For drops of R ≧ 40 μ, which coalesce spontaneously by wake attraction, even when uncharged, the coalescence rate increases linearly with drop charge. Charges of the same sign inhibit coalescence entirely for drops of R < 40 μ, and reduce the coalescence rate by a factor of five for drops of radius R = 40 μ.

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