Ultrasonic cleaning that uses ultrasonic energy is also known as what?

Ultrasonic cleaning utilizes high-frequency sound waves to agitate a fluid, creating a process known as cavitation. During cavitation, tiny bubbles form in the cleaning solution and implode, producing significant energy that helps to dislodge dirt, debris, and contaminants from surfaces, including delicate and intricate items. This makes it an effective cleaning method, particularly in fields like jewelry, automotive, and medical equipment cleaning.

While the term sonication is often used interchangeably with ultrasonic cleaning, it specifically refers to the application of sound energy to agitate particles in a fluid, which encompasses the broader process of cavitation that is essential to ultrasonic cleaning. Therefore, although sonication is related and can describe what occurs during ultrasonic cleaning, the specific phenomenon that allows cleaning to take place through the action of the bubbles collapsing is defined as cavitation.

The other terms listed, such as filtration and electrolysis, refer to different processes that do not involve the bubble formation and implosion that characterizes ultrasonic cleaning. Filtration involves physically separating particles from a liquid, while electrolysis involves a chemical process driven by electricity rather than sound energy.