The deformation and breakup of a slender drop in an extensional flow: inertial effects

The analysis of Acrivos & Lo (1978) for the deformation and breakup of a slender drop placed symmetrically in an axisymmetric pure straining flow is extended to include the effects of the fluid inertia within the drop. It is shown that, although the flow pattern within the drop is very complicated, internal inertia always tends to stabilize the drop. This stabilizing effect is, however, so weak that, for all practical purposes, it can be ignored.