By

Nitin Oke

Surface tension
For
Safe Hands
 Few things you need to know

•01. Cohesive force: Force of attraction

/ repulsion between the molecules of
the same substance is called as
cohesive force.
•02. Adhesive force: Force of
attraction between the molecules of
different substances is called as
adhesive force.
•In general the intermolecular force is
of the order of 10-11N where as
gravitational force is 10-50N
•Intermolecular distances are of the
order of 10-10m
• Range of molecular attraction: Maximum
distance up to which cohesive force
exerted by molecule is effective is called
as range of molecular attraction. Range
of molecular attraction is generally of the
order of 10 –9 m in case of solids and
liquids.
Sphere of
influence :An
imaginary sphere of
radius equal to
molecular range
drawn with molecule
as center is called
as sphere of
influence.
 Surface Energy. Potential energy per
unit surface area of liquid surface is called
as surface energy.
• It is clear that molecule on the surface of
liquid possesses more potential energy than
a molecule in the interior of a liquid. To
reduce this energy liquid will try to reduce
surface area
• The tendency of liquid to reduce its
surface area is called as Surface tension.
 Surface tension
• If surface area is to be reduced then the
force must act in tangential direction to
surface. This force must act at ‘end” of
liquid surface hence it is defined as –
• Force due to Surface Tension:
Tangential Force per unit length acting at
right angle on either side of imaginary line
drawn on the free surface of liquid is called
as surface tension of liquid.
• T = F/L SI unit of surface tension is N/m.
CGS unit of surface tension is dyne/cm this
unit is same as that of force constant
• [T] = [ML0T-2]
Surface tension
 Surface tension
FF
T ==
4824aπr
Relation between surface tension & surface
energy:
• Consider an open
rectangular frame ABCD A P D
of a wire.
• Wire PQ is able to slide
over the rectangular
frame without friction. B Q C
Length of wire PQ is equal
to ‘L’.
• Let rectangular frame
ABCD is dipped in soap
solution. Soap Film is
formed in the region
ABQP. Due to surface
tension soap film tries to
contract in area.
Relation between surface tension & surface
energy:
•Therefore a force “F” acts
On wire PQ. Direction of A P D
this force is towards AB.
Magnitude of force ‘F’ =T
(2L) Factor ‘2’ is because,
soap film has two surfaces B Q C
front surface & back
surface in contact with
wire.
•Let wire PQ is pulled away
from AB in order to
increase area of film.
Mechanical force required
to pull the wire PQ is F’ As
 F = F’ in magnitude but F = -F’
∴F’ = T x 2l.
If wire PQ is displaced through dx. Then work
done during this displacement:
dW = F’. dx = - T 2 L dx = – T.dA
(Where dA = 2L.dx) dW = – T.dA.
•This work done is stored in the form of
potential energy.
• If dA = 1m2 then T = W Thus surface
tension is amount of work done in order to
increase surface area through one unit area.
•SI unit of surface tension is also J/m2.
• Work done
•in forming a soap bubble of radius R
is T. dA = T. 2.(4πR2 ) = T. 8πR2
during formation of soup bubble
energy will be absorbed, due to
which the temperature will fall
down in adiabatic process,
chemically such reactions are
called as endothermic reactions.
R
 • Work done
(ii) in
breaking a big drop of radius R in n drops
of equal radius ‘r’ is
W = 4πR2T (n 1/ 3 – 1)
= 4πr2T (n – n 2/ 3)
When a big drop is broken into large number
of small drops, then energy is absorbed
because the surface area increases.

Above result is obtained by using (4/3)π

n.r3=(4/3) πR3
Energy liberated in combining n
equal drops of radius r to form a
big drop of radius R is obtained by
using
(4/3)πR3 =n.(4/3)πr3
R3 =n.r3 hence R2 =n2/3r2
E = 4πR2T (n 1/ 3 – 1)
= 4πr2T (n – n 2/ 3)
When a large number of drops
combine to form a big drop, then
the energy will be liberated
because the surface area
decreases, due to which the
temperature will increase in
adiabatic process, chemically such
reactions are called as exothermic
 Angle of contact
When a liquid is in contact with solid, the liquid
surface at the point of contact is curved. The
angle between the tangent drawn to liquid
surface at point of contact and solid surface
measured inside the liquid is called as angle of
contact. Angle of contact may have any value
between 00 and 1350.
 Angle of contact
• Angle of contact is constant for given solid liquid
pair. For liquid, which merely wets the solid,
angle of contact is 90o e.g. water + silver.
• liquid, which partially wets the solid, angle of
contact is acute Kerosene + glass or usual
water + glass
• liquids which completely wets the solid angle of
contact is 0o eg. Pure Water + glass,
• For liquid, which does not wet the solid, angle of
contact is obtuse e.g. mercury + glass.
 Explanation of angle of contact
Various forces acting on molecule ‘A’ are
• Negligible weight of molecule , which acts
vertically down ward
• Adhesive force FA by solid molecule acting at
right angle to solid.
• Cohesive force FC in side liquid by molecules of
same liquid act at 45o to surface.
• Adhesive force by air molecules which is very
small and hence it is neglected. This force is
negligible because very small number of air
molecules are present in sphere of influence.
Direction of resultant vector decides shape of
liquid at the point of contact in particular the
liquid surface must be normal to resultant.
Explanation of angle of contact

FA

FC
mg
 Explanation of angle of contact

FA

If FA is too large than FC then FC

angle of contact is zero liquid mg
weights the solid completely.
 Explanation of angle of contact

FA

If Fc is too large than FA FC

then angle of contact is mg
zero liquid weights the solid
completely.
 Explanation of angle of contact

FA

If FA = FC then angle of FC
contact is 67.50 liquid just mg
weights the solid.
 Explanation of angle of contact

FA

If √2.FA = FC then angle of contact FC

mg
is 900 liquid just weights the solid.
If √2.FA > FC then R will turn
outward hence liquid surface will
be concave
If √2.FA < FC then R will turn
outward hence liquid surface will
be convex
 Rise of liquid in Capillary tube
Ascent formula

• The
phenomeno
n of rise or
fall of a
liquid in a
capillary
tube is
known as
capillarity.
 Capillarity
• Fcosθ = weight of lifted liquid
column -½(4 π r /3)
3

3 F.cosθ
= πr h +[ πr r – ½(4 πr /3)]ρ
2 2

g
+πr2r F. sinθ
r

FT
πr2h h
 Capillarity
• Fcosθ = weight of lifted liquid column
= πr2h +[ πr2r – ½(4 πr3/3)] ρg

T(2πr) cos θ = πr2(h–r/3) ρg

T = r[h-(r/3)] ρg cos θ /2 r

≅ rhρg /2 cos θ FT
h
h= 2 Tcos θ/ r ρ g
2πr is called
wetted perimeter
Tilt of Capillary

L=h/cosθ
Capillary of short length

L=h/cosθ
Capillary of short length

h1R1=h2R2 as
h
decreases R
increases
 Shape of drop
T2
• Phenomenon of surface tension is
θ
observed along a surface separating
T3 T1
any two media. Consider a liquid drop in
equilibrium on flat solid mg
surface.
• Let T1 is surface tension for solid-liquid
interface T2 is surface tension for air-
solid interface T3 is surface tension for
air-liquid interface. Angle of contact θ is
always from liquid side.
 Shape of drop
T3 sinθ T3
θ T3 cosθ
T2 T1

• In equilibrium the horizontal and vertical

forces must be in equilibrium.Thus
• T2 = T1 + T3 cosθ
• cosθ = (T2 - T1 )/ T3
 T2

θ
T3 T1

cosθ = (T2 - T1 )/ T3

i) When T2 > T1; cosθ is positive, θ is acute.

 T2
θ
T3 T1

cosθ = (T2 - T1 )/ T3

i) When T2 < T1; cosθ is negative, θ is

obtuse.
 T2
θ
T3 T1

cosθ = (T2 - T1 )/ T3

i) When T2 = T1; cosθ is zero, θ is 90o.

cosθ = (T2 - T1 )/ T3
i) When T2 - T1 > T3 ;cosθ is not possible as >
1 Liquid drop can never have equilibrium
and will spred over the entier surface.
 Notable notes

• When a bubble PoP+

o + 4T/R
4T/R
is formed the
pressure inside
the bubble is
4T/R
• When a bubble
is formed inside
the liquid the Po + 2T/R
pressure inside
the bubble is
2T/R
 Notable notes

• When a liquid
drop is formed
the excess Po + 2T/R

pressure inside 2T/R

the drop is
 Notable notes

4T/R = hρg
 Notable notes

1 1 1
= R− R2
R R2 R1
1
R

R is radius of interface of two bubbles

of radius R1 and R2.This is due to fact
that P on interface is difference of
pressure of two faces
 Notable
Bubbles coalescing notes
with each other
isothermally in vacuum

R2
R
R1

R = R +R
2 2
1
2
2
 Effect of temperature
• Over a small range of
temperature the surface tension
decreases linearly as
temperature increases. Result by
Jaeger
• T = T0(1-αt) where α is
temperature coefficient of
surface tension.
• Eotvos formula is Tt= K(tc- t)
where tc is critical temperature
• The formula was corrected by
 Effect of temperature
• Modified by Ramsay and Shields
T.(M.V.x)3/2=K.(tc- t - d)
Where t0is critical temperature, x
is coefficient of association of
liquid at t.”d” is a constant ( 6 <
d < 8 for most of liquids) M is
molecular weight V is volume
and K is constant
(2.12< K <2.22)
• Ferguson’s formula is for wide
range of temperature variation
 Effect of impurity
• It is found that when an inorganic
substance such as sodium chloride
(common salt) is dissolved in water, the
surface tension of water increases.
• On the other hand, when an organic
substance such as soap solution is
added to water, the surface tension of
water decreases.
• Generally if highly soluble substance is
added to a liquid its surface tension
increases.
• An impurity insoluble in a liquid
 For everything listed below
the reason is surface tension
• Blotting paper absorbs ink
• Towel can soak water due to fibrous
structure
• Sap rises in plants
• Fields are ploughed to avoid
evaporation of water inside the field
• Water oozes from earthen pot used
during summer days
• Sponge retains water
 For everything listed below
the reason is surface tension
• Hair of brush spreads out in water but
as taken out they cling together
• Liquid drops are spherical in absence of
gravity.
• Needle floats on liquid surface
• Oil spreads on cold water
• Ink pain has split nib
• During soldering of wire the flux is
applied before soldering.