Bubblning

Bubblning is the Swedish term for bubbling, the formation and behavior of gas bubbles in a liquid. The phenomenon occurs when a liquid contains dissolved gas beyond its equilibrium solubility, or when conditions such as temperature or pressure change to promote gas release. It can also arise when a liquid is agitated or when a chemical reaction produces gas.

Physically, bubble formation begins at nucleation sites such as tiny defects or impurities, with gas diffusing into small pockets. Surface tension and the internal pressure of a bubble balance with the surrounding liquid, and buoyancy causes bubbles to rise. The size and speed of bubbles depend on factors including the type of gas, liquid viscosity, temperature, and the degree of supersaturation or detail of agitation.

Common occurrences include carbonation in beverages like soda and beer, boiling of water where vapor bubbles form, and fermentation processes in which carbon dioxide is released by yeast. Natural phenomena such as gas released from springs or volcanic systems also exhibit bubbling, and bubbles play a role in environmental contexts such as aeration in aquatic systems.

Applications and implications span several fields. In industry, bubblning is exploited in aeration and in bubble-column reactors to mix gases with liquids. In environmental engineering, bubbles help oxygenate wastewater. In medicine and science, microbubbles are used as contrast agents in ultrasound and as tools for studying bubble dynamics in fluids.