Experimental Work.

There are several general methods used for the determination of surface tension,
some of them are as follows
1) Capillary rise method

2) Jaegers method

3) Ferguson and Kennedys method

4) Quinckes method

Capillary rise method is simple, easy and less

expensive.

Capillary rise due surface tension

MATERIAL AND METHOD

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

Detergent
Hot and cold detergent
Water
Capillary tube
Beaker
Ruler

angle of contact for wetting

PROCEDURE
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)

Set up the apparatus as a figure above.

Fill the detergent into the beaker at a certain level.
Dip the capillary tube vertically on the detergent.
Hold the capillary tube by using .
The detergent immedietly rise up into capillary tube.
Record the rise of the detergent in capillary tube.
Wash the capillary tube before repeat the experiment
Do the step (2) (6) by using cold detergent, hot
detergent and detergent mix with water.
9) Record the data and fill it in the table.

CALCULATION
Let r be the radius of the tube at the point up to which the liquid rises into it.
then it will be practically the same as the radius if the concave meniscus, so that
the excess pressure above the meniscus over that immediately below it is 2/r i.e.
the pressure in the liquid, just below the meniscus is less than the atmospheric
pressure, above it by 2/r. Since the pressure on the liquid surface, outside the tube
is atmospheric, the liquid will be forced up into the tube, until the hydrostatic
pressure of the liquid colum in the tube equals the pressure 2/r. If the liquid rises
to a height h the hydrostatic pressure due the liquid column in the tube on the
surface of liquid will clearly be hg.
Where is the density of
liquid:

Thus

2/r = hg

or

= rhg/2

--------- (1)

In case, however the angle of contact for the liquid be not zero shown in fig.2 and
the tube not narrow, the surface tension of the liquid acts inward along the
tangent to the liquid meniscus at every point of its contact with the inner surface of
the tube , making an angle with the wall of the tube. If however , volume be not
negligible, its valve may be determined by taking the meniscus to be hemispherical
in
shape of radius nearly equal to r i.e. the same as that of tube at that place so that
the volume of the liquid in the meniscus is equal to the difference between the
volumes of the cylinder of radius r.

V = r .r (2/3) r
In
case

= 1/3 r

------ (2)

this

2r cos = [r h + (1/3)r ] .g

----- (3)

Where r h is the volume of the liquid column with height h and

r Capillary radius,
liquid,

Liquid surface tension,

Density of

Wetting contact
angle.
Therefore
2

= r [h + (r/3)] .g / 2r cos
for

----- (4)

= 0, cos = 1 we have

= r [h + (r/3)] .g / 2
----- (5)

dynes/cm

If is greater than 90 , cos is negative and the liquid column is depressed

below, i.e. h is negative. Hence it is so difficult to introduce mercury for which ( =
0

140 nearly) into a fine capillary tube