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PHY1104 PoM Lecture3
PHY1104 PoM Lecture3
Soap bubbles have very large surface areas with very little mass.
Bubbles in pure water are unstable. The addition of surfactants,
however, can have a stabilising effect on the bubbles — surfactants
reduce the surface tension of water by a factor of three or more.
Liquid σ or γ in N m−1
Water at 0 ◦ C 0.076
Water at 20 ◦ C 0.073
Water at 100 ◦ C 0.059
Soapy water (typical) 0.037
Mercury 0.465
Olive oil 0.032
Tissue fluids (typical) 0.050
Blood, whole at 37 ◦ C 0.058
Blood plasma at 37 ◦ C 0.073
Gold at 1070 ◦ C 1.000
Oxygen at -193 ◦ C 0.016
Helium at -269 ◦ C 0.00012
⇒ P · A = 2πRγ (9)
The work done to form a film is stored as potential energy in the surface and the amount
of this energy per unit area of this surface under isothermal condition is the “intrinsic
surface energy”. We thus obtain Z x
W = 2γ`dx
0
Since A = 2`x (area of both sides), then
W = 2γ`x = γA
W
∴ γ = (15)
A
PHY1104 – Properties of Matter Semester I 2023/2024 October 2023 14 / 36
Due to surface tension, the pressure inside and outside a soap bubble will be
different. We need to calculate this pressure difference (using work done)
Consider an air bubble inside a liquid, say water.
Assuming the pressure difference is ∆P, then the work done, W to
increase the radius of this bubble from R to (R + ∆R) is given by:
W = F · ∆R = 4πR 2 ∆P · ∆R
(16)
Note that 4πR 2 is the area of a sphere (i.e., the bubble is assumed
to be spherical). Hence, the change in area is,
2
∆S = 4π (R + ∆R) − 4πR 2 = 8πR∆R (17)
From the definition of surface tension (in terms of work done and
surface area):
W 4πR 2 ∆P∆R
γ= =
∆S 8πR∆R
2γ
∴ ∆P = (18)
R
PHY1104 – Properties of Matter Semester I 2023/2024 October 2023 15 / 36
For a soap bubble in air, there are two surfaces, and so,
2γ
∆P = 2
R
4γ
= (19)
R
1 Consider a soap film trapped between a frame and a wire of length 10 cm. If
the surface tension is given as 0.0049 N m−1 , calculate the mass of the wire
such that the wire remains in equilibrium. 100 mg
2 3. What will be the diameter of a water droplet, the pressure inside which is
0.05 N cm−2 greater than the outside pressure? 0.6 mm
3 A soap bubble is observed inside a bucket of water. If the pressure inside the
bubble is 0.075 N cm−2, calculate the diameter of the bubble. 8 × 10−4 m
(Where necessary, take the surface tension of water as 0.075 N/m).
If the two bubbles are brought into contact and the radius of interface is R,
then
4γ 1 1 1
P1 − P2 = ⇒ − = . (21)
R r1 r2 R
r1 r2
∴ R= (22)
r2 − r1
With the valve closed, two bubbles of different sizes are attached to each
end of a tube.
What happens after interconnecting the bubbles?
Since the excess pressure is inversely proportional to the radius of the
bubble, the surface forces produce a larger pressure in the smaller
bubble than in the larger one.
After connecting the insides of the bubbles, the air will start to flow
from the smaller one to the bigger one.
The bigger bubble will grow and the smaller one will shrink to a flat
membrane at the end of the connecting tube.
Above demonstrates the dependence of pressure below a curved surface of a
liquid on the radius of the surface.
The diameters of the bubbles will change (air will flow from one bubble to
the other) only if there is a higher pressure inside one of the bubbles than in
the other.
PHY1104 – Properties of Matter Semester I 2023/2024 October 2023 18 / 36
The air will then flow from the bubble with higher pressure into the other
one with lower pressure (larger radius).
Recall:
4σ
The Laplace pressure inside a bubble is given as: LP = , where σ is
r
the surface tension of the liquid while r is the radius of the bubble.
Since Laplace pressure is inversely proportional to the bubble radius, the
pressure is higher inside the smaller bubble than in the larger bubble.
The air thus flows from the smaller bubble into the larger one.
Question: Calculate the gauge pressure inside a soap bubble of radius 2 × 10−4 m.
Assume the surface tension for soapy water is 0.0370 N m−1 . Convert this
pressure to mm Hg.
4γ
Solution: Substituting r and γ into the equation P = r , we obtain
4γ 4 (0.037 N/m) 2
P= = = 740 N/m (23)
r 2 × 10−4
We use a conversion factor to get this into units of mm Hg:
2 1.00 mm Hg
P = 740 N/m 2 = 5.56 mm Hg. (24)
133 N/m
Discussion: Note that if a hole were to be made in the bubble, the air would be
forced out, the bubble would decrease in radius, and the pressure inside would
increase to atmospheric pressure (760 mm Hg). This is the standard pressure at
sea level (101325 Pa).
Capillary Action
In a similar situation, water rises in the tube so that the water level in the tube is
above the water level in the rest of the container. This phenomenon is due to the
large contact angle of mercury with glass (θ ≈ 140◦ ) and the smaller contact angle
of water with glass (θ ≈ 0◦ ).
Adhesion and Capillary Action
Recall: Forces of attraction acting between the molecules of same type are
called cohesive forces. Forces acting between the molecules of different types
are called adhesive forces.
The balance between the cohesion of the liquid and its adhesion to the
material of the container determines the degree of wetting, the contact
angle and the shape of meniscus.
When cohesion dominates, the wetting is low and the meniscus is
convex at a vertical wall (e.g., mercury in a glass container).
When adhesion dominates, the wetting is high and the similar meniscus
is concave (e.g. for water in a glass).
This explains why water beads up on a waxed car but does not on bare
paint. Because the adhesive forces between water and wax are much smaller
than those between water and paint.
Adhesion and cohesion forces cause water to rise in glass tubes and in soil
pores. The adhesion causes the rise in a capillary, and the cohesion makes
all the water molecules follow the upward pull.
The concave curvature indicates the presence of a pressure below the water
surface being smaller than the surrounding normal, atmospheric pressure.
Water forms beads on the waxed surface
because the cohesive forces responsible for
surface tension are larger than the adhesive
forces, which tend to flatten the drop.
Water beads on bare paint are flattened
considerably because the adhesive forces
between water and paint are strong, overcoming
surface tension.
The water beads on wax (which are not
flattened) are due to the greater force of
attraction between the water molecules than
between the water molecules and the surface.
— On the surface without wax the force of
attraction between the water molecules and
paint is greater. Hence the flattening (and
consequently, wetting).
Capillary Rise
Solution: The height to which a liquid will rise as a result of capillary action is
given by
2γ cos θ
h= , (33)
ρgr
= 1.41 × 10−7 m.
r1 h1 ρ1 g r2 h2 ρ2 g
⇒ γ1 = and γ2 = (34)
2 cos θ1 2 cos θ2
r1 h1 ρ1 g rhρg
⇒ = 2 2 2 (35)
2 cos θ1 2 cos θ2
Also, ρ1 = ρ2 and θ1 = θ2
⇒ r1 h1 = r2 h2 . (36)
Summary
Angle of Contact:
Angle of contact, for a solid and a liquid is defined as the angle
between tangent to the liquid surface drawn at the point of contact
and the solid surface inside the liquid.
The angle of contact of a liquid surface on a solid surface depends on
the nature of the liquid and the solid.
Case I: When θ < 90◦ : The liquid surface curves up towards the solid
surface. This happens when the forces of cohesion between two liquid
molecules is less than the forces of adhesion between the liquid and the solid.
If such a liquid is poured into a solid tube, it will have a concave meniscus.
For example, a glass rod dipped in water, or water inside a glass tube.
Case II: When θ > 90◦ : The liquid surfaces in contact with the solid
surface get curved downward. In this case the cohesive forces are greater
than the adhesive forces. In such cases, solids do not get “wet”. When such
liquids are put into a solid tube, a convex meniscus is obtained. An example
is a glass rod dipped in mercury or mercury within a solid glass tube.
While water wets glass, there are some surfaces made of material whose
surfaces water does not adhere to.
When carefully poured on a surface made of a substance to which
water does not adhere (wax is such a substance), it behaves like
mercury on glass.
Hence, if water is poured onto a smooth, flat, horizontal wax surface,
say a waxed sheet of glass, it will behave similarly to mercury poured
onto glass.
Definitions: