Advanced Student Version

Surface Tension Lab - Advanced

Key Concepts:
Surface tension is a property of a liquid. It is when there is a strong attraction between the molecules that cause them to link together and remain uniform. When the molecules possess weak positive interactions, as is the case with rubbing alcohol, surface tension will be small compared to other liquids. Cohesion is the attraction of molecules among its own kind. Because of cohesion, water and other liquids form thin films and drops. Adhesion is the attraction between different substances. Adhesion powers a certain process that allows water molecules to move upward through a narrow tube. The attraction of water to the walls of a tube sucks the water up more strongly than gravity pulls it down (i.e. water moving up a plants roots).

Part I: Drops of Water on a Penny1

Materials:
Pennies Water Soap Rubbing Alcohol Dropper Paper towels Calculator

Pre-Lab Questions:
1. In your own words, define surface tension. 2. Predict how many drops will fit on the penny a. Of clean water. b. Of soapy water. c. Of rubbing alcohol. 3. Explain the reasoning behind your predictions in Question 2.

Procedure:
1. Fill a dropper with water. 2. Place the penny, heads up, on top of a paper towel. 3. Using your dropper, add drops of water to the top of the penny until it overflows.
1

Adapted from www.middleschoolscience.com

Advanced Student Version

4. Record the number of drops the surface of the penny can hold in Table 1 below. 5. Repeat steps #1-4 four more times. 6. Repeat steps #1-5 using soapy water, and then rubbing alcohol. Be sure to rinse and dry the penny thoroughly between experiments. Record your data in the table below and calculate the average for each liquid: Liquid Water Soapy Water Rubbing Alcohol Post-Lab Questions: 1. Calculate the mean average for each liquid by adding the values together and dividing by the number of trials. Enter these values into Table 1. 2. Calculate the standard deviation for each liquid using the instructions below. Enter these values into Table 1. Calculating standard deviation: Note: The formula to calculate standard deviation is the following: = Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Average Standard Deviation

( x - x) N

Standard deviation Summation symbol, which indicates that you need to take the sum of whatever follows the symbol - in this 2 case ( x - x ) . Mean average Value of interest, in this case the number of drops Number of trials

1. Write down the # of droplets of clean water that fit onto the penny in Column A of Table 2 for the indicated trial. 2. Write down the average # of droplets of clean water that fit onto the penny (calculated in Question 1) in Column B of Table 2. 3. Subtract column B from column A (A-B) and write this value in Column C. It is okay if the value is a negative number. 4. Square the values in Column C and record these values in Column D. 5. Add all the values in Column D together and record this number in Column E. 6. Divide the value in Column E by 5 (the number of trials you performed). Record this value in Column F. 7. Youre almost there! Take the square root of the value in Column F and record the solution in Column G. You have now calculated the standard deviation! Write this value

Advanced Student Version

in Data Table 1. 8. If time allows, repeat the process for Soapy Water (Table 3) and Rubbing Alcohol (Table 4). Table 2: Calculating Standard Deviation for Water Measurements Water A Trial # 1 2 3 4 5 Table 3: Calculating Standard Deviation for Soapy Water Measurements Soapy Water A Trial # 1 2 3 4 5 Table 4: Calculating Standard Deviation for Rubbing Alcohol Measurements Rubbing Alcohol B A Trial # 1 2 3 4 5 3. What does your calculated standard deviation tell you about the reproducibility of your results? C
( x - x)

C
( x - x)

D
(x - x)
2

F
2

G
2

(x - x)

(x - x) N

( x - x) N

C
( x - x)

D
( x - x)
2

F
2

G
2

( x - x)

(x - x) N

( x - x) N

D
(x - x)
2

F
2

G
2

(x - x)

(x - x) N

( x - x) N

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4.

How do you think calculating the standard deviation might help a researcher to determine if, for example, the number of drops of soapy water is significantly different from the number of drops of clean water that fit onto the penny?

5.

Plot your results on the bar graph below:

Figure 1: Bar graph of average number of drops of liquid on a penny. Plot the average numbers on the bar graph below for each liquid.
60

50

40

30

20

Average # of Drops on a Penny 10

Water

Soapy Water

Rubbing Alcohol

6. Which liquid do you think has the highest surface tension? Why?

7. What is the surface tension of water? What is the surface tension of rubbing alcohol? (You can find these values online or ask your teacher.) Was your prediction in Question 1 right or wrong?

8. What are the units of surface tension? Hint: surface tension is measured in force per unit length. 9. What variables might affect surface tension values?

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10. List two examples of surface tension in every day life:

3. Below is a cartoon depicting three water molecules. Please do the following: a. Label each atom of the molecule H or O (for hydrogen and oxygen, respectively). b. Indicate the partial charge of each atom positive (+) or negative (-). c. Draw lines to indicate how you think the molecules bond or interact with one another.

Part II: Tie Dye Milk

Materials:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Milk Food coloring Toothpick Soap Bowl

Procedure:
Fill bowl full with milk. Place a few droplets of food coloring into the milk (have fun making your design!). Draw a picture of your design in the box below, labeled before under Question 1 Dip one end of the toothpick into dishwashing soap. Touch the soapy end of the toothpick to the milk surface. Draw a picture of the design you made after you touched the surface of the milk with the soapy toothpick in the box labeled after under Question 1.

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Post-Lab Questions:
1. Draw a before and after image of your experiment.

Before

After

2. Describe what happened when you touched the surface of the milk with the soapy end of the toothpick. 3. How would you explain your observations?

4. Soap molecules are hydrophobic/hydrophilic? How does this affect surface tension?

5. If you repeat the experiment do you get the same result? Why do you think this is?

6. Draw a cartoon image of water and soap molecules in the milk in the space provided below. Indicate what molecules are present in the bulk and what molecules are present at the surface of the milk.