Molecular tagging velocimetry

Molecular tagging velocimetry is a fancy way of measuring how things move really fast, like race cars or airplane engines. You know how you can see the flow of water in a river? Well, scientists want to see how the air or liquid moves around an object really fast. But this is really tricky to do because the object is moving so fast that it is hard to see the air or liquid around it. So scientists use an invisible substance called a "tracer" or "molecule" to help them see the movement.

Think of it like this: imagine that you have a colored ball and you throw it into a pool. As the ball moves, it creates a trail of colored water behind it which helps you see where it is going. This is what scientists do with molecular tagging velocimetry. They use special molecules that light up or change color when hit with a laser, and they release these molecules into the space around the object they want to study. Then, they use a very powerful laser to measure how the molecules move around the object. This helps them create a picture of how the liquid or air is moving around the object.

So, molecular tagging velocimetry is a way for scientists to measure how things move really fast using special molecules called tracers. It works by releasing these molecules into the space around an object, and then using a laser to measure the movement of the molecules. Scientists can use this technique to better understand how things move in the real world and design objects that move more efficiently or faster.