Laplace's law for sharp and diffuse interfaces
Mathematical Physics
2026-05-27 v1 math.MP
Classical Physics
Abstract
We study both diffuse and sharp liquid-vapor interfaces. The equilibrium equation of fluids is derived by using the principle of virtual work in a domain including the interfaces. For diffuse interfaces, the surface tension coefficient depends on the density profile across the interface. For sharp interfaces, the liquid-vapor layer is mathematically represented by a geometric surface and its specific energy is a Dirac delta function at the surface. We compare the both approaches and find relations between the surface tension coefficient and parameters of the models.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2605.26773,
title = {Laplace's law for sharp and diffuse interfaces},
author = {Sergey L. Gavrilyuk and Henri Gouin},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2605.26773},
year = {2026}
}