Liquids can fracture like solids under extreme stress: Scientists

Researchers at Drexel University have discovered that viscous liquids can fracture like solids when subjected to extreme tensile stress, challenging the longstanding belief that liquids cannot break. Their experiments showed that when a simple liquid is pulled apart rapidly enough to prevent it from flowing away from the stress, it reaches a "critical stress" point—around 2 megapascals depending on viscosity—where it suddenly fractures, producing a sharp snapping noise similar to solid breakage. This phenomenon was unexpected and required repeated verification, fundamentally altering the understanding of fluid mechanics. The findings suggest that this fracture behavior is likely generalizable across simple liquids, including common substances like water and oil, and is relatively independent of chemical composition. This discovery opens new avenues for research and practical applications in various fields such as 3D printing with liquid polymers, fiber manufacturing, medical science (e.g., blood flow), and hydraulics. Additionally, it may provide insights into mitigating cavitation damage caused by collapsing bubbles near propellers and pumps. Overall, the