Lab.

V
SURFACE TENSION

By
Dr Muhanad S. AL-Ani
Dr Shahla S. Smail
 Lab. V
SURFACE TENSION
Theory:

Surface tension: is the force per unit length (dyne/cm) or the work
per unit area (ergs/cm2) on the surface of liquid which opposes
expansion of the surface area.

Interface: The boundary between two or more phases exist

together.

Cohesion force: attractive force existing or develop between like

molecules e.g. liquid and liquid.

adhesion force: attractive force existing between unlike molecules

e.g. liquid and air.
• Surface tension of most liquids decrease almost linearly with
an increase in temperature, also surface tension of water
decrease with the addition of surface active agents to it. This
is due to those S.A.A molecules in aqueous solution
orientate themselves at the surface in such away as to
remove the hydrophobic group from the aqueous phase. As
a result, some of the water molecules at the surface are
replaced by non-polar groups. The attractive forces between
these groups and the water molecules, or between these
groups themselves, are less than those existing between
water molecules. The contracting power of the surface is
thus reduced and so therefore is the surface tension.
• The surface tension versus concentration curve for
an aqueous solution of a S.A.A thus shows a
progressive decrease in S.T

until the C.M.C is reached.

ST
CMC
At this stage any additional

surfactant goes to form micelles conc.

and the surface tension remains

approximately constant beyond the C.M.C (Fig1)

Methods:
1. Capillary rise method:
If a capillary tube is immersed in a liquid such as
water contained in beaker the liquid
immediately rises up the tube to a certain
height , this rise of a liquid in the tube occurs
because the force of adhesion between water
molecule and the capillary wall is greater than
the force of cohesion between water
molecules.
By measuring the rise in the capillary, it possible
to determine the surface tension of the liquid.
The liquid in the capillary tube continuous to
rise till the up word movement is just
balanced by the down word force of gravity
due to the weight of the liquid.
So we have two forces opposing each other the
up word force due to the surface tension and
the counteracting force due to the weight of
the column of liquid in the
tube.
Force due to the surface tension
a = 2π r У
Force due to the weight of the liquid column
d = π r²h (P P˚) g + W
π r² : is the cross sectional area of the capillary
tube
h: is the height of liquid column in the capillary
tube up to the lowest point of the meniscus.
P and p˚: are the densities of the liquid and its
vapor.
g: is the acceleration due to gravity.
W: is the weight of the liquid above h in the
meniscus.
The density of liquid is being much greater than the
density of its vapor , the weight of the liquid in
the column being much greater than the weight
of the liquid above h in the meniscus.
So P˚ and w will be disregarded
So d = π r²hP g
at equilibrium the up word force is equal to the
down word force thus
2 π r У = π r²hP g
У = π r²hP g = 1 r h p g
2π r 2
Aim: to measure the surface tension of different
liquids and to compare between them.
Procedure :
1. Different liquids will be used in this experiment ,
water, glycerin(d=1,26 g/ml), orange oil(0.84g/ml),
castor oil(0.97g/ml), and ethanol(0.789g/ml).
2.Full 5 beakers with the 5 liquids.
3. Take a 5 capillary tubes of a known radius and
immerse it in the beakers , the liquids will start to
rising up in the tubes, wait until the rising of the
liquids will stop and measure the height of the liquids
in each tube and use it in the calculation of the
surface tension.