PHY232: Week 3

1.2 SURFACE TENSION

The surface of a liquid at rest acts like a stretched membrane under tension. Common
examples include,

Floating a needle
Walking on water If carefully placed on the surface, a small needle
Small insects such as the water strider can walk can be made to float on the surface of water
on water because their weight is not enough to even though it is several times as dense as
penetrate the surface. water. If the surface is agitated to break up the
surface tension, then needle will quickly sink.

Don't touch the tent!

Common tent materials are somewhat rainproof
in that the surface tension of water will bridge Soaps and detergents
help the cleaning of clothes by lowering the
the pores in the finely woven material. But if
surface tension of the water so that it more
you touch the tent material with your finger,
readily soaks into pores and soiled areas.
you break the surface tension and the rain will
drip through.

Clinical test for jaundice

Washing with cold water
Normal urine has a surface tension of about 66
The major reason for using hot water for
dynes/cm but if bile is present (a test for
washing is that its surface tension is lower and it
jaundice), it drops to about 55. In the Hay test,
is a better wetting agent. But if the detergent
powdered sulfur is sprinkled on the urine
lowers the surface tension, the heating may be
surface. It will float on normal urine, but sink if
unnecessary.
the S.T. is lowered by the bile.

Can you think of another?

Surface tension disinfectants (1) A needle or a razor blade floating on
Disinfectants are usually solutions of low surface water
tension. This allow them to spread out on the (2) Capillary rise for small tubes
cell walls of bacteria and disrupt them. One such immersed in water
disinfectant, S.T.37, has a name which points to (3) Spherical rain drops/ dew on a blade
its low surface tension compared to the 72 of grass
dynes/cm for water. (4) Insect walking on the surface of the
water
(5) soap bubbles

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Surface Tension Examples
Figure 8:
Surface
tension
Figure 9: Needle floating in water

for a liquid. The force F necessary to pull the needle out of the
water is,

F = weight + surface tension force

DEFINITION OF SURFACE TENSION
= Mg + STF = weight of the needle + surface
The surface tension  is the magnitude F of the force tension force
exerted parallel to the surface of a liquid divided by
the length L of the line over which the force acts: F = Mg + 2l

Or Surface tension is defined as force F per unit Note: A needle is so thin such that its width is
length L acting in a surface at right angles to one negligible, hence the parameter 2l.
side of a line drawn in the surface, i.e.
1.2.1 Practical examples
F
γ= Example 2. Cylinder
L

(units: N/m)

i. For water  = 0.073 N/m (at room

temperature)
ii. For a soap solution  = 0.027 N/m

Note that temperature has a considerable effect

on the surface tension. For example, the surface Figure 10: Surface tension acting on a cylinder.
tension for water decreases with increasing
The net upward force due to surface tension for
temperature.
the cylinder is,
Example 1: Consider the case of a needle
floating in water. F=Mg+2πRγ
where 2𝜋𝑅 is the circumference of the circular
A metal needle or paper clip has higher density that
that of water. So when it is dropped into water, it falls
surface of the cylinder.
down to the bottom of water. However, if we put it
horizontally on the water with a lot of caution, it can
float almost forever due to the surface tension of
water.

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Example 3. Rectangular Plate 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑡𝑢𝑏𝑒)

2γcosθ
h= .
rρg

Thus, amount of rise in a capillary tube due to

surface tension is given by h.

Example 6. For water in a glass, 𝜃 ≈ 0 therefore,

Figure 11: Surface tension acting on a
rectangular plate. 2γ
h=
rρg
The net upward force due to surface tension for a
rectangular plate is, If r = 0.5 mm, then

2× 0 . 073
h= = 2. 9 cm.
F=Mg+2 (a+b)γ 0 . 5× 10− 3 × 9 .8

Example 4. Capillary Rise

1.2.2 Surface Energy

Figure 12: Glass tube in water. Figure 13: Apparatus holding a film of soap

Note: r = radius of the capillary tube. The force F required to pull the movable side and
thus increase the surface area of the soap film is,
 = contact angle.
F= 2lγ
Note: in water; adhesive forces (attraction
between ULIKE molecules > cohesive forces ( Therefore, Work done
attraction between LIKE molecules) W=Fdx=2lγ dx=γdA

where dA= 2 ldx This means increase in surface

energy = work done = increase in area dA x ST
Weight of the column (downward) = ST force
(upward), i.e. 𝑚𝑔 = 𝑆𝑇𝐹

πr 2 hρg= 2πrγcosθ
Note that mass of fluid in the capillary

𝑴 = 𝝆𝑽 = 𝝅𝒓𝟐 ∗ 𝒉 ∗ 𝝆 (where
𝜌 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑉 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒

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1.2.3 Excess pressure in an air bubble in water

1.2.4 Soap bubble in air

Figure 15: Soap bubble of radius r in air.

Figure 14: Air bubble in water

(a) Full bubble with radius r and inside pressure

P2 and outside pressure P1.
(b) Same bubble split into two.

An air bubble in water is hemispherical. Figure 14 Air pressure is P1 and inside the bubble the
(b) shows the bubble split into two. Therefore, pressure is P2.
Surface tension force, A soap bubble floating in air is considered to have
two surfaces, therefore the surface tension force
𝑆𝑇𝐹 = 𝐹 = 2𝜋 ∗ 𝑟 ∗ 𝛾 1
is multiplied by 2.
Note 2𝜋𝑟 is the circumference of the base of the
2 ∗ 2𝜋 ∗ 𝑟 ∗ 𝛾 = (𝑃2 − 𝑃1 ) ∗ 𝜋𝑟 2
bubble in contact with water.
4𝛾
Forcepressure = F = (P2 - P1) r2 2 ∆𝑃 = 𝑃2 − 𝑃1 =
𝑟
Therefore, in equilibrium (equate 1 and 2):

Surface Tension Force (STF) Example 5:

𝑆𝑇𝐹 = 𝐹 = (𝑃2 − 𝑃1 ) ∗ 𝜋𝑟 2 = 2𝜋 ∗ 𝑟 ∗ 𝛾 Calculate the pressure inside a soap bubble floating
2𝛾 in air of radius 1 cm.
i.e. ∆𝑃 = 𝑃2 − 𝑃1 = 𝑟
Solution
Hence,
The atmospheric pressure =1.013 x 105 Pa. Surface
2𝛾 tension of soap solution = 0.027 N/m.
∆𝑃 =
𝑟
4𝛾
--- Change in pressure for an air bubble ∆𝑃 = 𝑃2 − 𝑃1 =
𝑟
4𝛾 4 ∗ 0.027𝑁/𝑚
𝑃2 = 𝑃1 + = 1.013 ∗ 105 𝑃𝑎 +
𝑟 10−2 𝑚

𝑃2 = 101310.8 𝑃𝑎 = 1.013 ∗ 105 𝑃𝑎

Note: 1 Pa = 1 N/m2.

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 𝑅13 + 𝑅23 = 𝑅33
3
Example 6: 𝑅3 = √(𝑅13 + 𝑅23 ) =
3
√(0.023 + 0.063 )
Find the pressure inside an air bubble
= 0.061 𝑚
r = 1 cm at a depth of 50 cm under water.
c. Determine the gauge pressure inside the
single bubble they form if no air is lost
when they touch.
4𝛾 4∗0.027
∆𝑃 = = = 1.77 𝑁⁄𝑚2
𝑅 0.061

Example 8
Solution
A capillary tube is placed vertically in a glass of
𝑃1 = 𝑃𝑜 + 𝜌𝑔ℎ water and the capillary rise is found to be 4 cm.

= 1.013 ∗ 105 + 103 ∗ 9.8 ∗ 0.5𝑚

i) Calculate the radius of the capillary tube.
= 106200 𝑁⁄𝑚2
2∗𝛾 cos(𝜃)
ℎ= 𝜌𝑅𝑔
The pressure inside the air bubble
𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝜃 = 0
4γ  4  0.073 2∗𝛾
P2 = P1 + =  P1 +  =106202.92 Pa ℎ=
r  10− 2  𝜌𝑅𝑔

Example 7 2∗𝛾 2 ∗ 0.073 0.146

𝑅= = =
𝜌ℎ𝑔 1000 ∗ 0.04 ∗ 9.8 392
a) When two soap bubbles touch in air (assuming
= 0.000372𝑚
no air is lost), the larger is inflated by the
= 0.372 𝑚𝑚
smaller until they form a single bubble.
Determine the gauge pressure inside:
ii) Calculate the weight of the water in the
i. a soap bubble with a 0.02m radius,
capillary tube.
4𝛾 4 ∗ 0.027
∆𝑃 = = = 5.4 𝑁⁄𝑚2 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 = 𝑚𝑔 = 𝜌𝑉 ∗ 𝑔
𝑅 0.02
ii. a 0.06 m radius soap bubble, 𝑊 = 𝜌 ∗ 𝜋𝑅 2 ∗ ℎ ∗ 𝑔
4𝛾 4∗0.027 𝑊 = 1000 ∗ 𝜋 ∗ (0.0003722 ) ∗ 0.04 ∗ 9.8
∆𝑃 = = = 1.8 𝑁⁄𝑚2
𝑅 0.06
𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛
𝑊 = 1.704 ∗ 10−4 𝑘𝑔
b. Calculate the radius of the new bubble
formed by merging of the two bubbles.
4 4 4
3
𝜋𝑅13 + 3 𝜋𝑅23 = 3 𝜋𝑅33

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑅1 = 0.02𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅2 = 0.06𝑚

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 the meniscus level back with the surrounding
liquid?
Revision sample problems
Q10. The surface tension of water at 21ºC is 72.75
Q1. A 5 cm long needle can just rest on the surface X 10 -3 N m-1. A 33.24% (vol./vol.) solution of
of water without wetting. What is its weight? ethanol has γ = 33.24 X 10-3 N m-1 at the same
Surface tension of water =0.072 N/m temperature. Given density (solution) = 0.9614 X
Q2. A light square wireframe each s of which is 10 10 3 kg m-3 and density (water) = 0.9982 X 103 kg
cm vertically in the water with one side just m -3. How much less will the alcohol solution rise
touching the water surface. Find the additional in the same capillary? Angle of contact, Ө= 0º.
force necessary to pull the frame clear of the
water (=0.074 N/m)
Q11. An air bubble of radius r in water is at a depth h
Q3. A thin and light ring of the material of radius 3
below the water surface. If r is atmospheric pressure;
cm is rested flat on the liquid surface. When slowly
ρ and σ are the density and surface tension of water
raised, it is found that the pull required is 0.03 N
respectively, then calculate the pressure inside the
more before the film breaks than after. Find the
bubble.
surface tension of the liquid.
Q4. Calculate the additional force require to take
away a flat circular plate of radius 0.01 m from the
surface of water. (=0.075 N/m).
Q5. By dipping a U-shaped wire in a soap solution,
a film is formed between it and a light sliding wire
resting on it. The sliding wire supports a weight of
0.01 N when its length is 20 cm. Find the surface
tension of the liquid.
Q6. A glass tube of internal diameter 3.5 cm and
thickness 0.5 cm is held vertically with its lower
end immersed in water. Find the downward pull
on the tube due to surface tension. =0.074 N/m
Q7. A capillary tube of internal diameter 0.21 mm
is dipped into a liquid whose density is 0.79 g cm -
3. The liquid rises in this capillary to a height of
6.30 cm. Calculate the surface tension of the
liquid. (g = 980 cm sec-2).
Q8. How high will sap rise in a plant if the
capillaries are 0.01 mm diameter, the density of
the fluid is 1.3 g cm–3 and its surface tension 0.065
Nm –1. (g = 981 cm s–2)
Q9. The surface tension of ethanol at 30 ºC is 2.189
X 10-2 N m-1 and its density = 0.780 g/cc. To what
height will this liquid rise in a capillary tube of
radius 0.002 cm? What pressure is needed to push

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