Surface Tension

Molecular force : The forces, or attractions, that operate in a molecule.

ADHESIVE FORCE : The Force of attraction acting between the molecules of different
substance is called ADHESIVE force, e.g, force between water and ink, paper and ink etc.

COHESIVE FORCE : The Force of attraction acting between the molecules of same
substance is called COHESIVE force.e.g . between molecules of water, glass, etc
Bothe these forces are VANDER WAALS forces.
Molecular range : The maximum distance upto which a molecule can exert a force of
attraction on other molecules is called MOLECULAR RANGE.It is of the order of 10-9 m. for
solids and liquids.

Sphere of influence : It is a sphere drawn around a particular molecule as centre and

molecular range as radius. The central molecule exerts a force of attraction on all the
molecules lying within the sphere of influence.

Surface Tension: Surface tension is the property of liquid which arises due to the fact that the
molecules of the liquid at the surface are in a different situation than those in the interior of the
liquid. A molecule lying inside the liquid is surrounded by other molecules and so is attracted
equally in all directions. Hence, the net force of attraction acting on the molecule is zero.

A molecule lying on the surface is attracted more by the molecules lying in the bulk of the liquid
than by the molecules lying above it in the vapour phase. A molecule lying on the surface
experiences a net inward attraction. As a result of this inward pull on all molecules lying on the
surface, the surface behaves as if it were under tension.

In other words, the surface tension of a liquid is defined

as the force acting at right angles to the surface along 1
cm length of the surface. Thus, the units of surface tension
are dynes per centimetre or Newton per metre i.e. Nm-1 in
the S.I. system.

As a result of inward pull on the molecules at the surface, the surface of the liquid tends to the
smallest possible area for a given volume of the liquid. This gives the lowest energy state of the
liquid. The drop of a liquid is spherical because, for a given volume, a sphere has minimum
surface area.

The work in ergs required to be done to increase or extend the surface area by 1 sq cm is
called surface energy. The units of surface energy are, therefore, ergs per sq cm or joules per
sq m in S.I. system.

Surface Energy = work per sq cm= (Force× length) per sq cm = dynes cm-1
angle of contact : When the liquid is in
contact with solid, The angle between
the solid surface and the tangent to the
free surface of liquid at the point of
contact, measured from inside the
liquid is called the angle of contact.
when the liquid is
curved concave upwards, the angle of
contact is acute ( water and glass) and
when the liquid surface is curved convex upwards, the angle of contact is obtuse (e.g mercury
and glass )

 If Ꝋ is 90°, then liquid meniscus will be plane.

 If Ꝋ is obtuse, i.e; Ꝋ >90°, then liquid meniscus will be convex upwards.
 If angle of contact is acute angle, i.e; Ꝋ <90°, then liquid will wet the surface.
 If angle of contact is obtuse angle, ie; Ꝋ > 90°, then liquid will not wet the surface.

Capillarity : Rise or fall of liquid column in a capillary tube.

Ascent of a liquid column in a capillary tube is given by

h= (2S cos Ꝋ / rpg) - (r / 3)

If capillary is very narrow,

then h=2S cos Ꝋ / rpg

where, r = radius of capillary tube, p = density of the liquid, and Ꝋ = angle of contact and

S = surface tension of liquid.

• If Ꝋ < 90°, cos Ꝋ is positive, so h is positive,

i.e., liquid rises in a capillary tube.

• If Ꝋ > 90°, cos Ꝋ is negative, so h is negative, i.e., liquid falls in a capillary tube.

• Rise of liquid in a capillary tube does not violate law of conservation of energy.

Some Practical Examples of Capillarity

1. The kerosene oil in a lantern and the melted wax in a candle, rise in the capillaries formed
in the cotton wick and burns.

2. Coffee powder is easily soluble in water because water immediately wets the fine
granules of coffee by the action of capillarity.

3. The water given to the fields rises in the innumerable capillaries formed in the stems of
plants and trees and reaches the leaves.
Explanation of Surface Tension by Laplace’s molecular theory of
surface tension
To explain the phenomenon of surface tension Laplace gave a molecular theory which is
known as Laplace’s molecular theory of surface tension.

Let consider four molecules A, B, C and D of a liquid [Figure]. Sphere A is well inside this
liquid: B. near the surface of the liquid; C, just on the surface and D, above the liquid
surface. Let us draw a sphere of influence around them. Since the sphere of influence of
molecule A is fully inside the liquid, it is attracted equally in all directions by other molecules.
So, the resultant cohesive force on it is zero. So, it will remain in a state as it was.

Since the shpere of influence of molecule B lies

partly outside the liquid, this part contains only a
few molecules of vapour compared to the liquid
molecules in the lower part. So, the downward
attractive force due to liquid molecules exceeds
that of upward force of attraction by vapour
molecules. So, there S a resultant downward
force acting on B.

Since the molecule C lies on the surface of the

liquid the one-half of its sphere of influence lies inside and the other half lies above the
surface of the liquid. This part contains only few molecules of gas or vapour. But the entire
lower half contains liquid molecules and thus the downward force, in this case is maximum.
This phenomenon will be observed for all the molecules lying on the surface. This downward
or inward force per unit area of a liquid surface is called cohesive pressure, which is the
cause of cohesion.

The molecule D lies outside the surface of the liquid. The sphere of influence is outside the
liquid, so the downward force due to liquid molecules is zero. So, the molecule moves freely,
like gas molecules. It is thus clear that all over the surface of the liquid MN there is a
downward pull due to attraction between molecules. This surface tends to contract, i.e., it
tends to decrease the area of surface MN. Surface tension originates from this tendency of
surface contraction. This tension acts tangentially to the surface of the liquid.

This is the molecular explanation of surface tension according to Laplace.

Factors Affecting Surface Tension

1. Surface tension of a liquid decreases with increase temperature and becomes zero at
critical temperature.

2. At boiling point, surface tension of a liquid becomes zero becomes maximum at freezing
point.

3. Surface tension decreases when partially soluble impurities such as soap, detergent,
dettol, phenol, etc are added in water.

4. Surface tension increases when highly soluble impurities such as salt is added in water.

5. When dust particles or oil spreads over the surface of water, its surface tension
decreases.
When charge is given to a soap bubble, its size increases surface tension of the liquid
decreases due to electrification.

In weightlessness condition liquid does not rise in a capillary tube.

Some Phenomena Based on Surface Tension

1. Medicines used for washing wounds, as detol, have a surface tension lower than water.

2. Hot soup is more tasteful than the cold one because the surface tension of the hot soup
is less than that of the cold and so spreads over a larger area of the tongue.

3. Insects and mosquitoes swim on the surface of water in ponds and lakes due to surface
tension. If kerosence oil is sprayed on the water surface, the surface tension of water is
lowered and the insects and mosquitoes sink in water and are dead.

4. If we deform a liquid drop by pushing it slightly, then due to surface tension it again
becomes spherical.