What is Surface Tension?
Surface tension is caused by the attraction between the particles on the surface of a liquid and the particles inside the liquid. This attraction makes the liquid's surface want to minimize its area.
Cause of Surface Tension:
Surface tension arises from intermolecular forces like the Van der Waals force, which attract liquid particles to each other. These forces pull the particles toward the bulk of the liquid along its surface.
Mathematically, surface tension can be expressed as follows:T=F/L
SI Unit: N/mCGS Unit: dyn/cm
the dimensional formula of surface tension is MT-2
Methods & Measurements:
1. Spinning Drop Method
2. Pendant Drop Method
3. Du Noüy–Padday Method
4. Wilhelmy Plate Method
5. Capillary Rise Method
6. Bubble Pressure Method
7. Resonant Oscillations Method
8. Sessile Drop Method
We calculate surface tension to understand the cohesive forces between molecules at a liquid's surface, predict behaviors like capillary action, and design processes in various industries.