Simple swimmer at low Reynolds number: Three linked spheres
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- 16 June 2004
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review E
- Vol. 69 (6), 062901
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.69.062901
Abstract
We propose a very simple one-dimensional swimmer consisting of three spheres that are linked by rigid rods whose lengths can change between two values. With a periodic motion in a nonreciprocal fashion, which breaks the time-reversal symmetry as well as the translational symmetry, we show that the model device can swim at low Reynolds number. This model system could be used in constructing molecular-sized machines. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.69.062901 © 2004 The American Physical SocietyKeywords
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