EXPERIMENT : 1

Aim To determine surface tension of water by rise in capillary tube.

Apparatus Required A capillary tube, a beaker (with water), a travelling microscope, a

vertical stand.

Theory A molecule well within a liquid is surrounded by other molecules

on all sides. The surrounding molecules attract the central
molecule equally in all directions, leading to a zero net force. In
contrast, the resulting force acting on a molecule at the boundary
layer on the surface of the liquid is not zero, but points into the
liquid. This net attractive force causes the liquid surface to
contract toward the interior until the repulsive collisional forces
from the other molecules halt the contraction at the point when
the surface area is a minimum. If the liquid is not acted upon by
external forces, a liquid sample forms a sphere, which has the
minimum surface area for a given volume. Nearly spherical drops
of water are a familiar sight, for example, when the external
forces are negligible.

Formula In general, surface tension of a liquid at a given temperature is

given by

 ρ=Density of the liquid

𝜌𝑔ℎ𝑟   = Angle of contact
T=  G =Acceleration due to gravity
2𝑐𝑜𝑠𝒙
 h=Height of liquid column
 r =Radius of capillary tube

For water ϴ=0, therefore cos 0=1, So, For water

𝜌𝑔ℎ𝑟
T= dyne/cm
2
OBSERVATIONS

Determination of the radius of the capillary tube

Least count of the travelling microscope = _ _ _ _ cm

Sr. Reading along the direction Diameter ‘d’ Mean Diameter

No. One end of Other end of in cm (cm)
the bore the bore
1. 1
2. 2
3.
4.
5.

 Diameter of the capillary tube = _ _ _ _ cm

 Radius of the capillary tube = _ _ _ _ cm
 Room Temperature = ___  C

Determination of ‘h’ and ‘T’

Level of Level of 𝜌𝑔ℎ𝑟

water in water in h=a~b T=
Sr. No. 2
capillary beaker cm
(a) cm ( b) cm (dynes/cm)
1
2
3
4

Mean T= ______ dynes/cm.

RESULT The surface tension of water at room temperature at ____ C is
T = dynes/cm

PRECAUTIONS:  The capillary tube must be of uniform bore.

 The tube must be perfectly vertical
 The top of the tube must be open.
 The tube and the beaker should be clean.
 The temperature of water should be recorded