SURFACE TENSION &
CAPILLARITY
SURFACE TENSION
COHESION
• Cohesion ( cohaerere
"stick or stay
together") or cohesive
attraction or cohesive
force is the action or
property of like
molecules sticking Mercury exhibits more
together, being cohesion than adhesion
with glass.
mutually attractive
ADHESION
• Adhesion is the
property of different
molecules or surfaces
to cling to each other
COHESION VS ADHESION
• For example, solids have high cohesive properties so
they do not stick to the surfaces they come in contact.
• On the other hand, gases have weak cohesion. Water
has both cohesive and adhesive properties. Water
molecules stick to each other to form a sphere. This is
the result of cohesive forces. When contained in a
tube, the water molecules touching the surface of the
container are at a higher level (see Meniscus). This is
due to the adhesive force between the water
molecules and the molecules of the container.
Cohesion causes water to form drops, surface Mercury exhibits more cohesion than adhesion
tension causes them to be nearly spherical, with glass
and adhesion keeps the drops in place.
•When the cohesive forces between the
liquid molecules are greater than the
adhesive forces between the liquid and
the wall s of the container, the surface
of the liquid is convex. For example,
Mercury in a container.
•When the cohesive forces between the
liquid are less than the adhesive forces
between the liquid and the container,
the surface curves up. For example, Concave and Convex Meniscus. The
water in a glass container. meniscus is concave when adhesive
forces are stronger than cohesive
•When both adhesive and cohesive forces. e.g. water. It is convex when
cohesion is stronger. e.g. mercury
forces are equal, the surface is
horizontal. For example, distilled water
in a silver vessel.
CAPILLARITY
• Capillarity is defined as the phenomenon of
rise or fall of liquid surface in a small tube
relative to the adjacent general level of liquid
when the tube is held vertically in the liquid.
