Surface tension draws bubbles into spheres, but the balance of...

Surface tension draws bubbles into spheres, but the balance of forces holding the sphere together is delicate. When pierced by a projectile, sometimes soap films can heal themselves, but often the film ruptures. Once a hole forms in the bubble, the film’s integrity is lost. Instead of holding the bubble together, surface tension pulls the soap film apart in a spray of thread-like ligaments that break into droplets. In the blink of an eye, the bubble is gone. (Image credit: W. Horton)