PHY116

Name: M. Fahim Hoque

Group: 05

Data collection date: 30.03.23

Submission Date: 06.04.23

Experiment Number: 07
Name of Experiment: To determine the
surface tension of mercury and the angle
of contact by Quincke’s method.
Theory:
Let a drop of mercury be supported on clean glass plate. Let the drop be so large that it is flat. Let an
imaginary vertical plane divide the drop into two halves at the section AB and a thin slice be cut from one
half of the drop by two parallel and vertical planes CD and EF perpendicular to the plane AB and a
distance ∂ apart. Let a horizontal plane HKL be drawn through the point H at which the surface is
vertical. Let FK=h. Then the liquid to the right of the vertical plane FL exerts a hydrostatic pressure
varying from zero at F to ρgh at K ( ρ being the density of mercury). Hence the average pressure exerted
ρgh
on the plane Fl is and since the area of the plane is h ∂, the total force acting on it from the right to
2
2
ρg h δ
left is equal to . The surface to the right of the section FD exerts a force Tδ acting from left to
2
right, T being the surface tension. Since no other force acts parallel to HK on the portion CDLKH of the
slice,
2 2
ρg h δ ρg h
Tδ = ∴T =
2 2

If θ be the angle of contact between the glass plate and the liquid and h’ the total height, it can be shown
that

θ h'
sin =
2 √2 h

Apparatus:
Plane glass plate, levelling screws, travelling microscope, mercury, syringe.
Data Table:
Table A: Tangential Readings

No. of Left side of the drop Right side of the drop

obs

M.S V.S Avg. VS M.S V.S Avg. VS Total

Total R
R

1. 6.1 22 22.33333 6.1 10 10.5 6.1105

2. 6.122233 11
3. 23
22

Table B: Upper and lower level mercury readings

No. of Upper level of the drop Lower level of the drop

obs

M.S V.S Avg. VS M.S V.S Avg. VS Total

Total R
R

1. 6.3 10 15.33333 6.05 9 10 6.05

2. 6.315333 11
3. 20 10
16
H = 0.26533333

h = 0.198916667

Calculations:
2
ρg h2 13.5 x 980.665 x ( 0.19891667 )
T= = =261.92 dynes / cm
2 2

Angle of contact =

180−co s(−1) ( Hh )=180−co s ( 0.19891667

0.26533333 )
( −1)
=138.56 °

Results:
The surface tension is and the angle of contact is

Discussions:
1. The mercury used was clean and dry.
2. The glass plate was perfectly level.
3. There might have been some parallax error while taking the readings.
4. A greater number of readings e=would result in better results.