Effects of High Magnetic Field on Water Surface Phenomena

We studied the magnetic field effect on surface phenomena of water with a vertical magnetic field (maximum fields: 15 T, 1500 T2/m). The maximum diameter and mass of a pendant water droplet on the tip of a glass capillary are affected remarkably with response to the magnetic force and its direction. The height of a water droplet on a poly(vinylidene chloride) film is also affected by the field. A water thin film and a water bubble can be produced at a microgravity condition simulated by a high magnetic field, even though they cannot be prepared under earth surface gravity. All the results are interpreted in terms of the magnetic force acting on water: the force can control the effective gravitational acceleration. The results also indicate that surface tension can play an important role in a microgravity condition simulated by a high magnetic field.