Utah Master Esthetician Practice Exam

Which process involves ultrasonic energy to produce and collapse bubbles in a liquid?

1. Ultrasonication

2. Cavitation

3. Hydrolysis

4. Vaporization

The correct answer is: Cavitation

The process that involves ultrasonic energy to produce and collapse bubbles in a liquid is known as cavitation. During cavitation, high-frequency sound waves create rapid pressure changes in a liquid, leading to the formation of small bubbles. These bubbles grow during the low-pressure phase and subsequently collapse during the high-pressure phase, generating intense localized energy and temperature spikes. Cavitation is used in various applications, including cleaning, emulsifying, and even in certain medical treatments. It is an important concept in fields like fluid dynamics and ultrasound technologies, as the energy from the collapsing bubbles can significantly affect the surrounding fluid medium. Ultrasonication relates to the use of ultrasonic sound waves in various processes, but it does not specifically describe the bubble formation and collapse phenomenon. Hydrolysis refers to a chemical process involving the reaction of water with another substance, which does not involve the ultrasonic principles. Vaporization describes the process of a substance turning from a liquid to a gas, which also does not entail the specific ultrasonic bubble dynamics of cavitation. Thus, cavitation is the precise term for the described ultrasonic energy interaction in liquids.