Editing Flash freezing (section)

=== Laplace pressure ===
{{Main article|Laplace pressure}}

The Laplace pressure is the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of a [[curved surface]] between a gas region and a liquid region. The Laplace pressure is determined from the [[Young–Laplace equation]] given as
:<math>\Delta P \equiv P_\text{inside} - P_\text{outside} = \gamma\left(\frac{1}{R_1}+\frac{1}{R_2}\right)</math>
where <math>R_1</math> and <math>R_2</math> are the principal [[Radius of curvature|radii of curvature]] and <math>\gamma</math> (also denoted as <math>\sigma</math>) is the surface tension.

The surface tension can be defined in terms of force or energy. The surface tension of a liquid is the ratio of the change in the liquid's energy and the change in the liquid's surface area (which led to the change in energy). It can be defined as <math>\gamma=\frac{W}{\Delta A}</math>. This work <math>W</math> is interpreted as the [[potential energy]].