MINIMAL SURFACES AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERSUBJECT CONNECTIONS IN THE STUDY OF SURFACE TENSION

Abstract

Interaction between different fields of science helps transfer knowledge from one sector to another. The use of interdisciplinary connections when studying academic disciplines allows students to see the general context and structure of knowledge, which contributes to better assimilation of the material and enriches their understanding of the subject. Demonstration of relationships with other disciplines makes learning more interesting and practical, contributes to the development of a complex approach to solving problems. and will help students choose their future profession more consciously. Many methodical works are devoted to these issues, in which theoretical aspects are covered in detail: the importance of intersubject relationships, their classification, methods of implementation in the educational process, etc. Our article complements these studies with a concrete example: it examines the relationship between physics, mathematics, computer science, design and architecture, chemistry, and crystallography, which has been established over a period of more than 200 years. We trace how one physical phenomenon, namely the surface tension of liquids, prompted mathematicians to discover minimal surfaces. The development of computer technologies and 3D printing made it possible to model and visualize minimal surfaces, which inspired architects to create energy- and resource-saving projects and new construction technologies. Theoretically constructed minimal surfaces have recently been discovered in polymers, crystals of multicomponent compounds, and have again returned to physics: their modifications are used in the study of black holes. In addition, the work highlights certain aspects of the phenomenon of surface tension, which, as a rule, are not considered in the course of molecular physics, in particular, the nature of the attractive forces between the molecules of the surface layer and the peculiarities of the interaction of water molecules with molecules of surface-active substances.