Pendulum-like motion of straight electrified jets

A novel phenomenon, a pendulum-like motion of the usually straight electrified jet was observed experimentally and theoretically modeled. Pendulum-like motion arises due to repulsive Coulomb force between the straight electrified jet and the charges accumulated on the collector. This electrical force repels the similarly charged landing jet segment in the collector plane. The motion is transferred to the whole jet via elastic stress sustained by the jet. The initially straight segment of the jet is arched. The pendulum-like motion has frequencies of the order of 10–102 Hz. The pendulum-like jets were collected onto grounded horizontal electrodes moving laterally at a constant velocity or being at rest. Different two-dimensional patterns were produced by varying the applied voltage, the separation between the tip and collector and the velocity vector of the collector.