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Surface tension is the elastic tendency of fluid surfaces that lets insects to float on water. Learn the surface tension of water and the formula to find the surface tension of the given liquid @BYJU’S.
Jun 26, 2024 · surface tension, property of a liquid surface displayed by its acting as if it were a stretched elastic membrane. This phenomenon can be observed in the nearly spherical shape of small drops of liquids and of soap bubbles. Because of this property, certain insects can stand on the surface of water.
Surface tension can be defined in terms of force or energy. In terms of force. Surface tension γ of a liquid is the force per unit length.
Surface tension is the energy, or work, required to increase the surface area of a liquid due to intermolecular forces. Since these intermolecular forces vary depending on the nature of the liquid (e.g. water vs. gasoline) or solutes in the liquid (e.g. surfactants like detergent), each solution exhibits differing surface tension properties.
Feb 12, 2020 · Surface tension (denoted with the Greek variable gamma) is defined as the ratio of the surface force F to the length d along which the force acts: gamma = F / d. Units of Surface Tension. Surface tension is measured in SI units of N/m (newton per meter), although the more common unit is the cgs unit dyn/cm (dyne per centimeter).
The surface tension of a liquid is mainly a force that mainly acts to reduce the surface area of a liquid. The directed contracting force which attracts the molecules at the surface of a liquid towards the interior of the liquid is surface tension.
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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Surface tension is the amount of energy required to increase the surface area of a liquid by a certain amount. It is often measured in joules per square meter (\(J/m^2\)).
Water has a high surface tension because the water molecules on the surface are pulled together by strong hydrogen bonds. That means a drop of water will "want" to have the smallest possible surface area. The shape that has the smallest possible area for a given volume is a sphere.
