Different liquids can show some really interesting behaviors when it comes to surface tension and how they move up in narrow spaces. Let’s break it down simply:
Water: It has high surface tension (about 72 mN/m). This is because water molecules stick to each other strongly.
Oils: They have lower surface tension (around 30-40 mN/m). This affects how they spread out or form droplets.
Mercury: It has super high tension (about 400 mN/m), which makes it form clear droplets.
Water: It rises well in narrow tubes. This happens because it sticks strongly to the glass, making the top curve up.
Oils: They don’t rise much at all. This is because they don’t stick to the glass as well, resulting in a flat top line.
Mercury: It doesn’t rise at all! The reason is that the molecules of mercury stick to each other more than they stick to the glass, causing the top curve to go down.
It’s really neat how these properties play a role in everyday things. For example, they explain why water can climb up a straw or why oil can sit on a surface!
Different liquids can show some really interesting behaviors when it comes to surface tension and how they move up in narrow spaces. Let’s break it down simply:
Water: It has high surface tension (about 72 mN/m). This is because water molecules stick to each other strongly.
Oils: They have lower surface tension (around 30-40 mN/m). This affects how they spread out or form droplets.
Mercury: It has super high tension (about 400 mN/m), which makes it form clear droplets.
Water: It rises well in narrow tubes. This happens because it sticks strongly to the glass, making the top curve up.
Oils: They don’t rise much at all. This is because they don’t stick to the glass as well, resulting in a flat top line.
Mercury: It doesn’t rise at all! The reason is that the molecules of mercury stick to each other more than they stick to the glass, causing the top curve to go down.
It’s really neat how these properties play a role in everyday things. For example, they explain why water can climb up a straw or why oil can sit on a surface!