Rheoscopic fluid

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Rheoscopic fluid literally means "current showing" fluid.

Such liquids can be effective in visualizing dynamic currents for the study and demonstration of fluid flow. They are suspensions of microscopic crystalline platelets which, When put into motion, orient the suspended platelets, causing the localized, preferential alignment of the particles (with the larger dimensions parallel to the planes of shear in the moving liquid). With appropriate illumination, volumes containing particles with an overall orientation different from neighbouring volumes (due to the action of different shear planes) will reflect differing intensities of light, making the evolution and movement of the currents visible.