Physics of Tibetan Singing Bowls

1 July 2011 Last updated at 04:41 ET

By Jason PalmerScience and technology reporter, BBC News

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High-speed video of the bowls bears out how water begins its dazzling dance

Ceremonial Tibetan “singing bowls” are beginning to give up their secrets.

The water-filled bowls, when rubbed with a leather-wrapped mallet, exhibit a lively dance of water droplets as they emit a haunting sound.

Now slow-motion video has unveiled just what occurs in the bowls; droplets can actually bounce on the water’s surface.

A report in the journal Nonlinearity mathematically analyses the effect and could shed light on other fluid processes, such as fuel injection.

to read more, go to:   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13972556