Analogy between soap film and gas dynamics. II. Experiments on one-dimensional motion of shock waves in soap films

This paper presents an experimental investigation of one-dimensional moving shock waves in vertical soap films. The shock waves were generated by bursting the films with a perforating spark. Images of propagating shock waves and small disturbances were recorded using a fast line scan CCD camera. An aureole and a shock wave preceding the rim of the expanding hole were clearly observed. These images are similar to the x-t diagrams in gas dynamics and give the velocities of shock and sound waves. The moving shock waves cause jumps in thickness. The variations of the induced Mach number, M₂ and the ratio of film thickness across the shock wave, δ ₂/δ ₁, are plotted versus the shock Mach number, M _s. Both results suggest that soap films are analogous to compressible gases with a specific heat ratio of γ≅1.0. Published online: 15 October 2002