The science of surface tension explained
Learn about surface tension and compare the surface tensions of different liquids, including water, alcohol, mercury, and soap bubbles.
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Transcript
NARRATOR: Nothing could be more ordinary than a drop of water. But why does it form a nearly perfect shape as it falls?
The answer is surface tension—the way that a liquid surface acts a little like a stretched elastic membrane. Surface tension is caused by the forces of attraction between the particles of a liquid. The molecules in a drop of water attract each other weakly, while the molecules well inside the drop attract each other equally.
A surface molecule is attracted to other water molecules inside the drop. When it is displaced outward slightly, it is attracted back to its place in the drop by the nearby molecules.
The energy required to create this surface tension is approximately equal to the energy required to remove the surface molecules from the drop. Surface tension is commonly expressed in joules per square meter.
Different liquids have varying surface tensions. Organic liquids, such as alcohol, have a lower surface tension. And other liquids, such as mercury or soap bubbles, have a higher surface tension.
The answer is surface tension—the way that a liquid surface acts a little like a stretched elastic membrane. Surface tension is caused by the forces of attraction between the particles of a liquid. The molecules in a drop of water attract each other weakly, while the molecules well inside the drop attract each other equally.
A surface molecule is attracted to other water molecules inside the drop. When it is displaced outward slightly, it is attracted back to its place in the drop by the nearby molecules.
The energy required to create this surface tension is approximately equal to the energy required to remove the surface molecules from the drop. Surface tension is commonly expressed in joules per square meter.
Different liquids have varying surface tensions. Organic liquids, such as alcohol, have a lower surface tension. And other liquids, such as mercury or soap bubbles, have a higher surface tension.