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Understanding Surface Tension Sample Problems

The document presents a series of sample problems related to surface tension, including calculations for height of liquid columns in capillary tubes, excess pressure in soap bubbles, and forces acting on liquid surfaces. It covers various scenarios involving different liquids, contact angles, and physical properties. The problems aim to enhance understanding of the principles of surface tension in practical applications.

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Jacob Vilbar
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26 views

Understanding Surface Tension Sample Problems

The document presents a series of sample problems related to surface tension, including calculations for height of liquid columns in capillary tubes, excess pressure in soap bubbles, and forces acting on liquid surfaces. It covers various scenarios involving different liquids, contact angles, and physical properties. The problems aim to enhance understanding of the principles of surface tension in practical applications.

Uploaded by

Jacob Vilbar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Understanding Surface Tension Sample Problems

1. A glass tube of radius 0.5 mm is dipped vertically in water at 25°C. If the surface tension
of water is 72 mN/m and the contact angle is 0∘, calculate the height of the water column
in the tube.
(Take the density of water as 1000 kg/m^ and g=9.8 m/s^2).
2. A small needle with a mass of 0.005 kg and length 5 cm floats on the surface of water due
to surface tension. If the surface tension of water is 0.072 N/m, determine whether the
needle will remain afloat. Assume acceleration due to gravity is g=9.8 m/s^2.
3. A soap bubble has a radius of 3 cm and the surface tension of the soap solution is 0.03
N/m. Calculate the excess pressure inside the bubble compared to the outside air
pressure.

4. A water droplet of radius 0.01m is in equilibrium. If the surface tension of water is 0.072
N/m, calculate the work required to increase the radius of the droplet to 0.015 m.
5. Two identical capillary tubes are dipped in mercury and water, respectively. The radius
of the tubes is 0.2 mm, and the surface tension of mercury is 0.486 N/m (contact angle
140∘), while that of water is 0.072 N/m (contact angle 0∘). Compare the heights (or
depths) of the liquid columns in the two tubes. (Density of mercury: 13600 kg/m^3,
density of water: 1000 kg/m^3, g=9.8 m/s^2).
6. A soap bubble has a radius of 2 cm. If the surface tension of the soap solution is 0.03
N/m, what is the excess pressure inside the bubble compared to the outside air pressure?
7. A spherical raindrop with a radius of 0.5 mm falls through the air. If the surface tension
of water is 0.072 N/m, what is the additional pressure inside the raindrop compared to the
atmospheric pressure?
8. A capillary tube with a radius of 0.2 mm is dipped into a liquid with a surface tension of
0.04 N/m and a density of 1000 kg/m³. If the contact angle between the liquid and the
tube is 0°, how high will the liquid rise in the tube?
9. Two soap bubbles, one with a radius of 2 cm and the other with a radius of 3 cm, are
connected by a tube. Which bubble will grow in size, and why?
10. A needle is carefully placed on the surface of water. If the needle has a mass of 0.01 g
and a length of 3 cm, what is the minimum surface tension of the water required to
support the needle?
11. A liquid with a surface tension of 0.05 N/m and a density of 800 kg/m³ does not wet a
certain solid surface. What is the minimum contact angle between the liquid and the solid
for this to occur?
12. A droplet of water with a radius of 0.1 mm is suspended in air. If the surface tension of
water is 0.072 N/m, what is the minimum electric field strength required to balance the
weight of the droplet?
13. A water droplet has a surface tension of 0.072 N/m. Calculate the force acting on a 1 cm
length of the droplet's surface.
14. A needle is carefully placed on the surface of water. If the needle has a mass of 0.01 g,
what is the minimum surface tension of the water required to support the needle?
15. A raindrop has a radius of 0.5 mm. If the surface tension of water is 0.072 N/m, what is
the additional pressure inside the raindrop compared to the atmospheric pressure?
16. A capillary tube with a radius of 0.1 mm is dipped into water. If the surface tension of
water is 0.072 N/m, calculate the capillary rise.
17. A mercury droplet has a radius of 0.2 mm. If the surface tension of mercury is 0.465
N/m, calculate the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the droplet.

18. A tree draws water through its capillaries. Estimate the height to which water can rise if
the radius of the capillaries is 2 μm and the surface tension of water is 72 mN/m.
Consider the effect of evaporation at the leaves.
19. A thin film of liquid is placed between two glass plates separated by 0.5mm. Analyze the
force required to pull the plates apart.
20. Calculate the energy required to form 1 million spherical droplets of radius 0.1mm from a
single water droplet of radius 1cm.
21. A soap film is stretched over a circular wire loop of radius 5cm. If the surface tension is
0.03N/m, calculate the work done to increase the radius to 7cm.
22. Two soap bubbles of radii R1 =2cm and R2 =3cm merge to form a single bubble. Predict
the radius of the resulting bubble.
23. A water strider can walk on water due to surface tension. Analyze the maximum mass it
can have if its total leg perimeter is 8cm and the surface tension of water is 0.072N/m.
24. Find the work done in forming a soap bubble of radius 3cm. Assume the surface tension
of soap solution is 0.04N/m.
25. What is the excess pressure inside a spherical bubble of radius 5mm if the surface tension
of the liquid is 0.06N/m?
26. A capillary tube of radius 0.1mm is dipped in water (ST=72mN/m). Calculate the
capillary rise if the contact angle is 0∘.
27. A soap film has a surface tension of 0.03N/m. If the length of the film is 10cm, find the
total force due to surface tension.
28. A liquid has a surface tension of 0.05N/m. Calculate the force acting along a 20cm length
of the liquid surface.

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