So you love lakes and their water, but their waves upset you? You can solve this wavy issue with a spoon of olive oil.

How?

Dr. Greg Kestin shows how it’s done in a YouTube Video.

A lecturer in physics at the Harvard University – Dr. Greg Kestin – in his video experiment shows us this incredible phenomenon, where he uses olive oil to calm the waves of a lake. The molecules present in the oil are double sided – one end flips the water and attracts it, and the water repels another end – and as a result – stands upright!

OLIVE OIL CALMS A LAKE’S WATER: THIS IS HOW

The oil molecules start to flip when introduced into the water. The flip takes place on the negatively charged head of the molecules. It occurs because the electrons are attracted to the positive heads of the molecules of the water. The oil molecules – because of this phenomenon – touches the water and spreads to form a layer of a thick molecule.

The Wind creates waves through traction achieved from the water surface. However, the olive oil when poured on the water creates a protective layer – which prevents the water from either stretching or bending. As a result, the wind is incapable of creating waves. It only drags the water layer that is otherwise clouded by the oil.

The Founding Father of the US – Benjamin Franklin – used this particular trick to prank people. He used to do so by storing oil in his walking stick and would use the stick to convince the people that he had the power to tame the waves. The unique experiment works on sea and stream waters too. Sailors made use of this trick to calm down the waters during storms. They did it by pouring cooking oil in the water.

h/t: iflscience.com