Abstract:
We describe a number of experiments in which the effect of electrons on cavitation is studied. Electrons in liquid helium become trapped in a bubble from which the liquid is almost completely excluded. By applying a negative pressure to the helium, we are able to make these bubbles explode. We have measured the variation of this pressure with temperature and the results are in very good agreement with theoretical expectations. At low temperatures the electron bubbles become attached to vortices. The circulation of the liquid around the electron bubble leads to a reduction in the magnitude of thr negative pressure required to explode the bubble, and we have been able to measure this reduction.