EXPERIMENT 05

AIM

AN
Use capillary rise method to determine the surface tension of a given liquid.

PRACTICAL OUTCOME

T
Use capillary rise method to determine the surface tension of water.

PA
ADDITIONAL OUTCOMES
On performing this experiment, student will be able to,

C,
 Choose proper Unit System for an object of interest.
 Name the different parts of measuring instrument.

NI
 Find the least count of the given measuring instrument.
 Understands the concept of capillarity in liquid and relate it with surface
tension. CH
 Experiment with capillaries with different radii.
 Measure surface tension of given different types of liquid.

APPRATUS AND MATERIAL REQUIRED

TE

A glass/plastic capillary tube, travelling microscope, beaker, cork with pin, clamps
and stand, thermometer, dilute nitric acid solution, dilute caustic soda solution,
water, plumb line.
LY

PRINCIPLE
PO

When a liquid rises in a capillary tube, the weight

of the column of the liquid of density 𝜌𝜌 below the
meniscus, is supported by the upward force of
surface tension acting around the circumference of
the points of contact. Therefore, for water,
2𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋 = 𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋 2 ℎ𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌
D.

𝑟𝑟ℎ𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌
𝑇𝑇 =
2
Where,
K.

𝑇𝑇 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑡𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑒 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙

ℎ = ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒ℎ𝑡𝑡 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑡𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑒 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐
𝑟𝑟 = 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑡𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑒 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡
𝜌𝜌 = 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙

Experiment – 05 Surface Tension 1

PROCEDURE
1. Do the experiment in a well-lit place for example, near a window or use an

AN
incandescent bulb.
2. Clean the capillary tube and beaker successively in caustic soda and nitric
acid and finally rinse thoroughly with water.

T
3. Fill the beaker with water and measure its temperature.
4. Clamp the capillary tube near its upper end, keeping it above the beaker. Set

PA
it vertical with the help of a plumb line held near it. Move down the tube so
that its lower end dips into the water in the beaker.
5. Push a pin P through a cork C, and fix it on another clamp such that the tip
of the pin is just above the water surface as shown in Fig. E 12.1. Ensure that

C,
the pin does not touch the capillary tube. Slowly lower the pin till its tip just
touches the water surface. This can be done by coinciding the tip of the pin
with its image in water.

NI
6. Now focus the travelling microscope M on the meniscus of the water in
capillary A, and move the microscope until the horizontal crosswire is
tangential to the lowest point of the meniscus, which is seen inverted in M. If
CH
there is any difficulty in focusing the meniscus, hold a piece of paper at the
lowest point of the meniscus outside the capillary tube and focus it first, as a
guide. Note the reading of travelling microscope.
7. Mark the position of the meniscus on the capillary with a pen. Now carefully
TE

remove the capillary tube from the beaker, and then the beaker without
disturbing the pin.
8. Focus the microscope on the tip of the pin and note the microscope reading.
LY

9. Cut the capillary tube carefully at the point marked on it. Fix the capillary
tube horizontally on a stand. Focus the microscope on the transverse cross
section of the tube and take readings to measure the internal diameter of the
PO

tube in two mutually perpendicular directions.

OBSERVATIONS
Least count of the Travelling Microscope 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 = _________ 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 = ___________ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐
D.

Table 1.1: Measurement of capillary rise

Reading of meniscus ℎ1 Reading of tip of pin touching surface of

K.

(cm) water ℎ2 (cm)

Sr. ℎ = ℎ1 − ℎ2
No. (cm)
M.S.R. V.S.R. ℎ1 = 𝑆𝑆 + (𝑛𝑛 × 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿) M.S.R. V.S.R. ℎ2 = 𝑆𝑆′ + (𝑛𝑛′ × 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿)
S (cm) n (cm) S’(cm) n’ (cm)

Experiment – 05 Surface Tension 2

 2

N
Table 1.2: Measurement of diameter of the capillary tube

TA
Sr. Reading along a diameter Reading along Mean
No. (cm) Diameter perpendicular diameter Diameter diameter
𝑑𝑑1 = 𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1 𝑑𝑑2 = 𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1 (cm)
One end another end (cm) One end another end (cm) 𝑑𝑑1 + 𝑑𝑑2
𝑥𝑥1 𝑥𝑥2 𝑦𝑦1 𝑦𝑦2 𝑑𝑑 =
2

PA
1

C,
𝑑𝑑
 Mean radius 𝑟𝑟 = = ________ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐

NI
2

 Density of water 𝜌𝜌 = _______ 𝑔𝑔/𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐3

CALCULATION
CH
 Substitute the value of ℎ, 𝑟𝑟, 𝜌𝜌 and 𝑔𝑔 in the formula for T and calculate the
surface tension.
TE

𝑟𝑟ℎ𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌
𝑇𝑇 =
2

𝑇𝑇 =
LY

𝑇𝑇 =
PO

𝑇𝑇 = ___________ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑/𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐

RESULT
1) The surface tension of water 𝑇𝑇 = ____________ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑/𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐
D.

PPRECAUTIONS
K.

1) To make capillary tube free of contamination, it must be rinsed first in a

solution of caustic soda then with dilute nitric acid and finally cleaned
with water thoroughly.
2) The capillary tube must be kept vertical while dipping it in water.
3) To ensure that capillary tube is sufficiently wet, raise and lower water

Experiment – 05 Surface Tension 3

 level in container by lifting or lowering the beaker. It should have no
effect on height of liquid level in the capillary tube.
4) Water level in the capillary tube should be slightly above the edge of the
beaker/dish so that the edge does not obstruct observations.

N
5) Temperature should be recorded before and after the experiment.

TA
6) Height of liquid column should be measured from lowest point of concave
meniscus.

SOURCES OF ERROR

PA
1) Inserting dry capillary tube in the liquid can cause gross error in the
measurement of surface tension as liquid level in capillary tube may not
fall back when the level in container is lowered.

C,
2) Surface tension changes with impurities and temperature of the liquid.
3) Non-vertical placement of the capillary tube may introduce error in the

NI
measurement of height of the liquid column in the tube.
4) Improper focusing of meniscus in microscope could cause an error in
measurement of the height of liquid column in the capillary tube.
CH
DISCUSSION
1) In a fine capillary tube, the meniscus surface may be considered to be
TE

semispherical and the weight of the liquid above the lowest point of the
1
meniscus as 𝜌𝜌𝑟𝑟 3 𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋. Taking this into account, the formula for surface
3
tension is modified to
LY

1 𝑟𝑟
𝑇𝑇 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌 �ℎ + �
2 3
More precise calculation of surface tension can be done using this
formula.
PO

2) If the capillary is dry from inside the water that rises to a certain height
in it will not fall back, so the capillary should be wet from inside. To wet
the inside of the capillary tube thoroughly, it is first dipped well down in
the water and raised and clamped. Alternatively, the beaker may be lifted
up and placed down.
D.

SELF ASSESMENT
K.

1) Suppose the length of capillary tube taken is less than the height up to
which liquid could rise. What do you expect if such a tube is inserted
inside the liquid? Explain your answer.
2) Two match sticks are floating parallel and quite close to each other. What
would happen if a drop of soap solution or a drop of hot water falls
between the two sticks? Explain your answer.

Experiment – 05 Surface Tension 4

SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL EXPERIMENTS/ACTIVITIES
1) Experiment can be performed at different temperatures and effect of
temperature on surface tension can be studied.

N
2) Experiment can be performed by adding some impurities and effect of
change in impurity concentration (like adding NaCl or sugar) on surface

TA
tension can be studied.
3) Study the effect of inclination of capillary tube on height of liquid rise in
the capillary tube.

PA
VIVA VOCE
1. When there are no external forces, the shape of a liquid drop is determined by

C,
a) Surface Tension of the liquid
b) The density of the liquid
c) The viscosity of the liquid
d) The temperature of air only

NI
2. If the surface of a liquid is plane, then the angle of contact of the liquid with the walls
of the container is
a) Obtuse angle CH
b) 90°
c) 0°
d) Acute angle
3. Raindrops are spherical in shape because of
a) Capillary
TE

b) Surface Tension
c) Downward motion
d) Acceleration due to gravity
4. In a surface tension experiment with a capillary tube, the water rises up to 0.1m. If
LY

the same experiment is repeated on an artificial satellite which is revolving around

the earth. The rise of water in a capillary tube is
a) 0.1 m
b) 9.8 m
PO

c) 0.98 m
d) Full length of the capillary tube
5. At the critical temperature, the surface tension of the liquid
a) Is zero
b) Is infinity
D.

c) Is the same as that at the other temperature

d) Cannot be determined
6. The surface of the water in contact with the glass wall is
a) Plane
K.

b) Concave
c) Convex
d) Both a and b
7. If common salt is dissolved in water, then the surface tension of saltwater is
a) Increased
b) Decreased
c) Not changed

Experiment – 05 Surface Tension 5

 d) First increases then decrease
8. A drop of oil is placed on the surface of the water. Which of the following statements
is correct?
a) It will remain on it as a sphere
b) It will spread as a thin layer

N
c) It will partly be as spherical droplets and partly as thin films
d) It will float at the distorted drop on the water surface.

TA
9. The angle of contact for liquid on a solid surface is the angle between:
a) the tangent to the liquid surface at the point of contact and the solid surface
b) the tangent to the solid surface at the point of contact and the liquid surface
c) the liquid surface and the solid surface at the point of contact

PA
d) none of these
10. When impurity is added to a liquid, its surface tension
a) Decreases
b) first decreases and then increases
c) increases

C,
d) remains same
11. By which phenomenon does the water rise from roots to leaves of plants?
a) Capillary action
b) Surface Tension

NI
c) Bernoulli’s Theorem
d) Viscosity
12. A liquid does not wet the surface of a solid if the angle of contact is
CH
a) Zero
b) An acute angle
c) 45°
d) An obtuse angle
13. In case of water and glass, we get a concave meniscus because the adhesive force
TE

between water and glass are _____ than the cohesive forces between water molecules.
a) Weaker
b) Stronger
c) Same
LY

d) None of above
14. Meniscus of mercury in capillary is
a) Concave
b) Convex
PO

c) Plane
d) Cylindrical
15. On increasing the temperature, the surface tension of the liquid
a) Increase
b) Decrease
D.

c) Remains same
d) None of above
16. Rain drops are spherical because of
a) Gravitational force
K.

b) Surface tension
c) Air resistance
d) Low viscosity of water
17. Select the incorrect statement from the following option.
a) In case of mercury and glass, we observe a convex meniscus
b) Surface tension is responsible for the rise and fall of the capillary tubes
c) If two drops encounter each other, they tend to repel each other

Experiment – 05 Surface Tension 6

 d) All of the mentioned
18. If common salt is dissolved in water, then the surface tension is_______
a) increased
b) decreased
c) not changed

N
d) first decreases and then increases
19. When the angle of contact between a solid and a liquid is 90°, then_______

TA
a) 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 > 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓
b) 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 < 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓
c) 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓
d) 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 >> 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓

PA
20. Out of the following, which one is not an example of capillary action______
a) ploughing of the field
b) absorption of ink in a blotting paper
c) floating of wood on the surface of water
d) rise of oil in the wick of a lamp

C,
21. An imaginary sphere drawn around a molecule as center, with a radius equal to the
range of molecular attraction is_________
a) surface film
b) range of molecular attraction

NI
c) sphere of influence
d) radius of the molecule
22. A shaving brush is dipped in water. When it is taken out of water, the hairs in the
CH
brush cling together. This is because of__________
a) attraction between the hairs
b) surface tension
c) gravity
d) Viscosity
TE

ASSESMENT SCHEME
LY

Sr. Performance Indicators for the Practical Weightage in Total Marks Marks
No. Outcomes % Obtained
1 Prepare of experimental setup 20 2
PO

2 Operate the equipment setup or circuit 20 2

3 Follow safe practices measures 10 1
4 Record observations correctly 20 2
D.

5 Interpret the result and conclude 30 3

TOTAL 100 10
K.

Signature of Teacher: __________________

Experiment – 05 Surface Tension 7