This research will study the stability of liquid bridges for which the contact curves are not assumed to be fixed. Such bridges arise in a variety of physical situations and are formed when a drop of liquid contacts two solid objects. The present work will examine the cause of the instability as the critical volume is approached, and the dependence of the critical volume on the contact angle. This work has implications for understanding the contribution of capillarity to the adhesion of material interfaces, and for the measurement of surface tension.
