What phenomenon occurs when droplets exceed the Rayleigh Limit and break apart?

When droplets exceed the Rayleigh Limit, they become unstable and can break apart due to surface tension forces. This phenomenon is referred to as a Coulombic Explosion. It occurs when the internal pressure from the liquid’s surface tension is overcome by the electrostatic repulsion forces between charged droplets or within parts of a droplet.

As droplets become smaller or are subjected to additional energy (such as from ionization), the electrostatic forces can create instability. Once the charge within the droplet reaches a critical point that exceeds the cohesive forces keeping the droplet intact, it fragments into smaller droplets or individual ions. This fragmentation can be particularly significant in contexts such as mass spectrometry or aerosol production, where controlling the size of droplets is crucial for effective analysis and measurement.

The other choices, while relevant in different contexts, do not specifically pertain to the mechanism of fragmentation that occurs due to exceeding the Rayleigh Limit. Electrostatic Discharge typically refers to the transfer of charge between bodies, while Desolvation and Ion Fragmentation pertain to different processes involving changes in solvent or ionic states, respectively.