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Oil slicks on country roads today from rain, slight rainbow colouration? anyone?

  • 09-07-2010 1:43am
    #1
    d_regal_jester
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21 ✭


    Hi Guys,

    Whilst out walking the dog today I noticed a lot of oil/petrol colouration in the puddles at the sides of the road? More than one spot, plenty in fact.... you know like you see in a petrol station in a wet day?

    Anyone else notice?


Comments

  • #2
    robtri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,473 ✭✭✭robtri


    I am sure its a middle east conspiracy of some sort :D


  • #3
    Emme
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,055 ✭✭✭Emme


    Happens a lot if there hasn't been much rain in a while. We just haven't seen this for a while in Ireland!:rolleyes: I don't know, maybe the exhaust content contains a small amount of oil and eventually finds its way onto the road, causing shiny slicks.

    Or it could be a gay pride thing - gays going out at night and decorating the roads with rainbow slicks when there's nobody driving!:D


  • #4
    GerardKeating
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,806 ✭✭✭GerardKeating


    d_regal_jester wrote: »
    Hi Guys,

    Whilst out walking the dog today I noticed a lot of oil/petrol colouration in the puddles at the sides of the road? More than one spot, plenty in fact.... you know like you see in a petrol station in a wet day?

    Anyone else notice?

    It pretty normal/common more noticeable when there has not been rain for a while, not all the fuel burns in the car, and some make it out the exhaust and ends up on the road, the rain washes it away.

    You often hear AA alerts about this, and you will notice the more traffic accident when it rains after an extended dry period, cause it makes the roads slippery.


  • #5
    FISMA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,616 ✭✭✭FISMA


    It's called thin film diffraction.

    In general, I agree with the other posters who suggested that due to the recent and relatively good weather, more films (oil, grease, et al) have collected on the road and failed to wash away.

    Once a bit of rain comes down, the films will accumulate.

    The same effect can be seen in soap bubbles. The colorish effect is due to films that are very thin - approaching the lengths of the light waves - hundreds on nanometers.


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