Surface Tension
Tzong-Shyng Leu
IAA – Institute of Aeronautics and Astranautics
Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystem
National Cheng Kung University
Tainan 701, Taiwan
http://www.iaa.ncku.edu.tw/~aeromems
E-Mail: tsleu@mail.ncku.edu.tw
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Cohesion and Surface Tension
• Molecules liquid state experience
strong intermolecular attractive forces.
When those forces are between like
molecules, they are referred to as
cohesive forces.
• Molecule deep (greater than several
molecular diameters ~ about 10-9 to 10-8
m) in the fluid are pulled equally in all
directions by its neighbors, i.e. there is
no net force on it.
• Those on the surface have no
neighboring atoms above, and exhibit
stronger attractive forces upon their
nearest neighbors on the surface. This
enhancement of the intermolecular
attractive forces at the surface is called
surface tension.
Molecular concept of origin of
surface tension:
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Adhesion and Surface Tension
The cohesive forces between liquid molecules are responsible for the
phenomenon known as surface tension. The molecules at the surface do not
have other like molecules on all sides of them and consequently they
cohere more strongly to those directly associated with them on the surface.
This forms a surface "film" which makes it more difficult to move an
object through the surface than to move it when it is completely submersed.
Surface tension is typically measured in dynes/cm, the force in dynes
required to break a film of length 1 cm. Equivalently, it can be stated as
surface energy in ergs per square centimeter. Water at 20°C has a surface
tension of 72.8 dynes/cm compared to 22.3 for ethyl alcohol and 465 for
mercury.
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