Differentiating the axisymmetric stream function givesThe normal kinematic boundary condition fixes , soBoth velocity components vanish at infinity, and the axisymmetric stream function is regular at the polar axes. The tangential component of the strain-rate tensor vanishes everywhere:Thus the stress-free boundary condition is satisfied. The vorticity is , and the supplied dipolar pressure is consistent with the Stokes equation.
Use the Newtonian fluid stress tensor . At the bubble surface,The vertical force exerted by the liquid is the integral of the vertical traction:Since the integral is , the drag is downward and has magnitudeThe constant pressure integrates to zero force. The pressure perturbation contributes and the normal viscous stress contributes ; there is no tangential traction contribution.
For the free-interface qualification in part (b), the calculated normal traction at and differs by . It cannot equal a single uniform gas pressure if every restoring effect is discarded. Restoring the external-minus-internal variation of hydrostatic pressure supplies a term . It cancels the dynamic normal traction at the terminal velocity , consistent with a spherical clean bubble without surface tension. This distinguishes the drag calculation from the extra conditions needed for a freely rising bubble.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 iii Paper 74 2 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Take the upward direction as , with polar angle measured from it. The liquid is quiescent at infinity. On a translating clean inviscid bubble, the kinematic boundary condition is , and the stress-free boundary condition is zero tangential traction. The normal traction must balance uniform gas pressure and any constant-curvature surface-tension jump.
For a vertical Stokeslet of strength , the radial velocity is . Its traction on a concentric sphere is purely normal, so zero tangential traction is automatic. The kinematic condition at givesThe singularity is only a device for generating the exterior solution; there is no liquid point force inside the actual bubble. The integrated dynamic traction on the bubble is , giving the clean-bubble Stokes drag. The upward buoyancy is , hence force balance gives
The normal stress also shows that surface tension is not required for this particular spherical solution. Let the ambient hydrostatic pressure at the bubble centre be , so on its surface . Adding the Stokeslet's dynamic normal traction giveswhere the terminal buoyancy value of cancels the dipole. This is the spherical clean bubble without surface tension balance: an initially spherical bubble can remain spherical in this ideal steady Stokes solution even when surface tension is zero. With uniform surface tension , choose gas pressure ; with , . This proves compatibility of the spherical shape, not stability of arbitrary deformations or validity when inertia matters.