Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Selective Area Modification of Silicon Surface Wettability by Pulsed UV Laser Irradiation in Liquid Environment
Published on: November 9, 2015
Decreased surface tension of water by hard-x-ray irradiation
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 790-784, Korea.
Abstract:
We discovered that intense irradiation by hard-x-ray strongly decreases the effects of natural surface tension of water in droplets and capillary tubes. The effect was revealed by direct experimental observations with phase contrast microradiology. A model based on ionization and surface charging explains this so far undetected phenomenon. The effect can impact the results of many experimental techniques based on x rays. This is an example of the largely unexplored effects that can be produced by extreme intense x-ray irradiation-an important issue due to current development of x-ray free-electron-lasers with unprecedented brilliance.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
Surface Tension of Fluid
Surface tension varies with...
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Particle Size and Effective Surface Area

