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Related Concept Videos

Adhesion01:14

Adhesion

Adhesion occurs when one type of molecule is attracted to a different molecule. Water exhibits adhesive properties in the presence of polar surfaces, such as glass or cellulose in plants. For instance, when water is poured into a glass, the positively charged hydrogen molecules of water are more attracted to the negatively charged oxygen molecules in the silica than to the oxygen in neighboring water molecules.
Capillary action is a result of water’s adhesive tendencies. When a narrow glass...
Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity02:57

Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity

Surface Tension
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...
Capillarity in Fluid01:19

Capillarity in Fluid

Capillarity describes the movement of liquid in small spaces without external forces acting on it. The capillarity is driven by surface tension and adhesive interactions between the liquid and surrounding solid surfaces. This effect is often seen in narrow tubes, porous materials, and fine particles.
Surface tension is crucial to capillarity. It results from cohesive forces between liquid molecules at the liquid-air boundary, forming a skin that resists external forces. When the capillary tube...
Capillary Exchange01:28

Capillary Exchange

The cardiovascular system's chief role is to disseminate gases, nutrients, waste, and other substances to the body's cells. Small molecules like gases, lipids, and lipid-soluble substances directly diffuse through capillary wall endothelial cell membranes. Glucose, amino acids, and ions, including sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride, use transporters for facilitated diffusion via membrane-specific channels. Glucose, ions, and bigger molecules may also pass through intercellular clefts.
Cohesion01:07

Cohesion

Cohesion is the attraction between molecules of the same type, such as water molecules. Water molecules have an overall neutral charge but are polar molecule. An oxygen atom in one water molecule has a partial negative charge that can bind to a hydrogen atom with a partial positive charge in a second water molecule, forming a hydrogen bond. Each water molecule can form up to four hydrogen bonds with other water molecules. Hydrogen bonds are responsible for water's cohesive nature.
On a surface,...
Rise of Liquid in a Capillary Tube01:18

Rise of Liquid in a Capillary Tube

When very thin cylindrical tubes, called capillaries, are dipped in a liquid, the liquid rises or falls in the tube compared to the surrounding liquid. This phenomenon is called capillary action. Capillary action occurs due to the combination of two opposing forces: the cohesive forces of the liquid, which cause it to stick to itself and form a rounded shape, and the adhesive forces between the liquid and the walls of the container, which cause the liquid to be attracted to the container walls.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Adhesion Frequency Assay for In Situ Kinetics Analysis of Cross-Junctional Molecular Interactions at the Cell-Cell Interface
13:22

Adhesion Frequency Assay for In Situ Kinetics Analysis of Cross-Junctional Molecular Interactions at the Cell-Cell Interface

Published on: November 2, 2011

Adhesion hysteresis from interdependent capillary and electrostatic forces.

Nathan W Moore1

  • 1Radiation Effects Research Department, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, MS-1159, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, United States. nwmoore@sandia.gov

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|March 15, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Adhesion forces at the nanoscale differ due to capillary and electrostatic mechanisms, not just wetting. This study reveals new insights into adhesion hysteresis in humid environments.

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Adhesion Frequency Assay for In Situ Kinetics Analysis of Cross-Junctional Molecular Interactions at the Cell-Cell Interface
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Area of Science:

  • Surface Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Tribology

Background:

  • Adhesion hysteresis is common at the nanoscale in humid conditions.
  • The underlying mechanisms of nanoscale adhesion hysteresis remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanisms of adhesion hysteresis between silicon oxide and tungsten oxide surfaces.
  • To differentiate the roles of capillary and electrostatic forces in adhesion hysteresis.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized interfacial force microscopy to measure adhesion forces.
  • Examined silicon (111) oxide surfaces and tungsten oxide probes.
  • Applied surface biasing to study force interactions during condensation.

Main Results:

  • Adhesion forces during approach and separation differ in magnitude and mechanism.
  • Capillary forces dominate during surface approach, while electrostatic forces are key during separation.
  • Surface contact induces a transient intersurface potential upon dewetting.
  • Demonstrated nonadditivity between capillary and electrostatic forces with surface biasing.

Conclusions:

  • Adhesion hysteresis mechanisms involve more than just hysteretic wetting, including capillary and electrostatic interactions.
  • Understanding these forces is crucial for interpreting nanoprobe measurements in humid environments.