Modeling Swimming Microorganisms using Macroscopic Experiments

The swimming of microorganisms is typically analyzed using biological experiments or numerical simulations because the Reynolds number is much less than one. Our research group uses model macroscopic experiments with typical length scales of ~ 10 cm, but match the low Reynolds number of microoganisms by using a highly viscous silicone oil. The fluid has a viscosity that is 10⁵ larger than water but with approximately the same density. We can therefore build laboratory scale robotic swimmers and model microorganisms that are typically ~10 μm. We can also explore fundamental theories such as our project to build a laboratory scale three-link swimmer to test theoretical predictions (Purcell 1977, Hatton et al. 2013).