Scientists from the University of Warsaw and universities in the Netherlands have experimentally demonstrated for the first time that Granular convection, the so-called Brazil nut effect does not require the input of external energy. This discovery could have crucial implications for various scientific fields and industries.
But what exactly is the Brazil nut effect, and why is it significant? “You’ve probably experienced shaking an open bag of mixed nuts before,” begins the team of scientists from the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw.
“Have you noticed that, after such an action, the largest nuts in the mix—the Brazil nuts—rise to the top? The phenomenon of larger objects rising to the surface of a mixture, known as granular convection, is commonly referred to as the ‘Brazil nut effect.’ It occurs widely in nature and can also be observed when shaking a bucket of sand and pebbles, for example.”
Until now, it was believed that this effect required external energy input—such as shaking the bag of nuts. However, new theoretical models suggested that the phenomenon could occur spontaneously.
Now, researchers from the University of Warsaw and their collaborators from the University of Utrecht have experimentally proven this.