Physchem 2

Liquids

Liquids are one of the three commonly recognized states in which matter occurs, i.e., that state,
as distinguished from solid and gas, in which a substance has a definite volume but no definite
shape.

Properties of Liquids

In general, liquids show expansion on heating, contraction on cooling; water, however, does not
follow the rule exactly. A liquid changes at its boiling point to a gas and at its freezing point, or
melting point, to a solid. The boiling point is especially important because, since liquids change
their states at different temperatures, those in a mixture can be separated from one another by
raising the temperature of the mixture gradually so that each component in turn undergoes
vaporization at its boiling point. This process is known as fractional distillation.

Liquids, like gases, differ from solids in that they are fluids, that is, they flow into the shape of a
containing vessel. Liquids exert pressure on the sides of a containing vessel and on any body
immersed in them, and pressure is transmitted through a liquid undiminished and in all
directions. Liquids exert a buoyant force on an immersed body equal to the weight of the liquid
displaced by the body (see Archimedes' principle and specific gravity). Unlike gases, liquids are
very nearly incompressible, and for that reason are useful in such devices as the hydraulic press.
Liquids are useful as solvents. No one liquid can dissolve all substances; each takes into solution
only certain specific substances.

Viscosity

Viscosity is a measure of the resistance to flow. The viscosity of a substance is related to the
strength of the forces acting between its molecular units. It describes the internal friction of a
moving fluid. A fluidwith large viscosity resists motion because its molecular makeup gives it a
lot of internal friction. A fluid with low viscosity flows easily because its molecular makeup
results in very little friction when it is in motion.

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Surface tension

Surface tension is the amount of work that must be done in order to increase the surface by a unit
area.

Capillarity is an example of surface tension and adhesion acting at the same time.

Intermolecular forces

A liquid is said to “wet” a solid substance when the attractive force between the molecules of the liquid
and those of the solid is great enough to hold the liquid's molecules at the solid surface. For
example, water “wets” glass since its molecules cling to glass surfaces, whereas mercury does
not since the adhesive force between its molecules and those of glass is not strong enough to
hold them together.

Interaction between Liquid and solid surface

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Capillary

3
Water Repellency

Intermolecular forces