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Beetles can float across ponds and Cheerios can stick together in a bowl. Tiny floating robots use a similar effect called the Marangoni effect. It happens when a liquid spreads quickly over another liquid with a different surface tension.
Researchers at Harvard University made small round robots with air inside and fuel made of alcohol. The alcohol leaks out slowly, making the robot move on water.
The robots move faster with stronger alcohol. They can make wide curves or spin when many robots are stuck together. This is similar to how Cheerios stick together in a bowl.
These 3D-printed robots can help students learn surface tension concepts. They can also be used in the environment or industry to spread chemicals evenly without human help.
These robots have interesting uses and behaviors that make them helpful in many fields.
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Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
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Accent
Marangoni/ˌmær.əˈɡoʊ.ni/noun
A phenomenon where a liquid spreads quickly over another liquid due to differences in surface tension.
Robots/ˈroʊ.bɑːts/noun
Machines capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically.
Surface Tension/ˈsɜr.fɪs ˈtɛn.ʃən/noun
The characteristic of a liquid surface that makes it behave like a stretched elastic membrane.
Alcohol/ˈæl.kə.hɔːl/noun
A class of chemical compounds of which ethanol is the most commonly used as a fuel.
Chemicals/ˈkɛm.ɪ.kəlz/noun
Substances used in or produced by chemical processes.
Curves/kɜrvz/noun
Smooth continuous lines or paths that are not straight.
