SELF-INDUCED VIBRATION OF A WATER DROP PLACED ON AN OSCILLATING PLATE

Vibration of a water drop placed an a vertically oscillating plate was observed, and the amplitudes and frequencies of the plate were measur ed with which the drop showed large amplitude vibrations. A special cl oth was used so that the drop did not wet the plate. The results are c ompared with a simple theoretical prediction based on the Mathieu equa tion. The experimental data are shown to lie within the unstable growi ng region derived from the theory.