Wettability

Wetting is the ability of a liquid to maintain contact with a solid surface, resulting
from intermolecular interactions when the two are brought together. The degree
of wetting is determined by a force balance between adhesive and cohesive
forces.

Adhesive forces between a liquid and solid cause a liquid drop to spread across
the surface.

Cohesive forces within the liquid cause the drop to ball up and avoid contact
with the surface.
 S = Ƴs + ƳL + Ƴs-L

S= spreading parameter
Ƴs = surface energy of substrate
Ƴs-L= interfacial energy between substrate and liquid
ƳL = surface energy of liquid

S > 0 , liquid completely wet the surface

S < 0, liquid partially wets the substrate
 Reynold Number

Reynolds number (Re) is a dimensionless number that gives a measure of

the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces .

v= The mean velocity of the object relative to the fluid(m/s)

ρ= Density of fluid(Kg/m3 )
L = Characteristic length (m)
µ = Viscosity of fluid (Pa.s)
They are also used to characterize different flow regimes, such as laminar
or turbulent flow:

Laminar flow occurs at low Reynolds numbers, where viscous forces are
dominant.
Re<2300

Turbulent flow occurs at high Reynolds numbers and is dominated by

inertial forces.
Re> 4000
 Webar Number

Webar number is a dimensionless number that gives a measure of the

ratio of inertial forces to surface tension force.

v= The mean velocity of the object relative to the fluid(m/s)

ρ= Density of fluid(Kg/m3 )
L = Characteristic length (m)
σ = Surface tension (N/m)
It is useful in analysing fluid flows where there is an interface between
two different fluids.

 It is useful in analysing thin film flow and formation of droplets &

bubbles.
 Viscosity

The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to gradual

deformation by shear stress or tensile stress. For liquids, it corresponds to
the informal notion of "thickness". For example, honey has a higher
viscosity than water.

It is also called dynamic viscosity .

 Kinematic viscosity- Viscosity per unit density

 Surface Tension

Surface tension is a contractive tendency of the surface of a liquid

that allows it to resist an external force.

Example -in the floating of some objects on the surface of water,

even though they are denser than water, and in the ability of some
insects (e.g. water striders) to run on the water surface. This
property is caused by cohesion of similar molecules, and is
responsible for many of the behaviors of liquids.

Surface tension has the dimension of force per unit length, or of

energy per unit area.