Movement of Microswimmers at Low Reynolds Numbers

This paper explores the movement mechanisms of microswimmers in low Reynolds number environments by analyzing key physical concepts, microbial swimming mechanisms, and methods of calculating swimming speed. The study is based on three significant documents: Life at Low Reynolds Number, The Hydrodynamics of Swimming Microorganisms, and A Mathematical Explanation of an Increase in Bacterial Swimming Speed with Viscosity in Linear-Polymer Solutions. The main focus is on understanding how microorganisms adapt to their environment. Methods for calculating swimming speed were translated into MATLAB code to simulate the effect of angle on swimming speed, and a model confirming microbial movement was designed through SOLIDWORKS and 3D printing. Two experiments using the model were conducted in two different fluid environments. The result demonstrated the influence of different fluid viscosity on swimming velocity and stability. Computational simulations and experiments offered valuable insights into the swimming mechanisms of microorganisms in surroundings with low Reynolds numbers.