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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...
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Surface Tension

Surface tension is defined as the force per unit length (γ) acting along the surface of a liquid. It arises due to strong intermolecular forces of attraction. A molecule located inside the bulk of the liquid is surrounded by other molecules and experiences equal forces in all directions. However, a molecule at the surface experiences unbalanced forces because there are more neighboring molecules below than above. This creates a net inward force that pulls surface molecules toward the interior,...
Surface Tension of Fluid01:22

Surface Tension of Fluid

Surface tension is a fundamental property of fluids, occurring at the boundary between a liquid and a gas or between two immiscible liquids. This phenomenon arises from the cohesive forces between molecules at the fluid's surface, creating an effect similar to a stretched elastic membrane. Inside each fluid, molecules are equally attracted in all directions by neighboring molecules, but surface molecules experience a net inward force, resulting in surface tension.
Surface tension varies with...
Surface Tension and Surface Energy01:16

Surface Tension and Surface Energy

When a paint brush is immersed in water, the bristles wave freely inside the water. When it is taken out, the bristles stick together. The reason behind this effect is surface tension.
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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,...
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Intermolecular Forces

Atoms and molecules interact through bonds (or forces): intramolecular and intermolecular. The forces are electrostatic as they arise from interactions (attractive or repulsive) between charged species (permanent, partial, or temporary charges) and exist with varying strengths between ions, polar, nonpolar, and neutral molecules. The different types of intermolecular forces are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion; among these, dipole–dipole, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion...

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Measuring the Interaction Force Between a Droplet and a Super-hydrophobic Substrate by the Optical Lever Method
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Measuring the Interaction Force Between a Droplet and a Super-hydrophobic Substrate by the Optical Lever Method

Published on: June 14, 2019

Wetting and surface forces.

Ludmila Boinovich1, Alexandre Emelyanenko

  • 1A.N. Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia. boinovich@mail.ru

Advances in Colloid and Interface Science
|April 5, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Surface forces, particularly disjoining pressure, dictate wetting regimes in three-phase systems. This review explores liquid film formation and contact angle calculations, crucial for understanding surface interactions.

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Published on: February 11, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Surface Science
  • Colloid and Surface Chemistry
  • Physical Chemistry

Background:

  • Wetting phenomena are critical in diverse scientific and industrial applications.
  • Understanding the behavior of liquid films on surfaces is essential for controlling interfacial properties.
  • Surface forces play a fundamental role in determining how liquids interact with solid substrates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the fundamental role of surface forces, specifically disjoining pressure, in establishing wetting regimes.
  • To investigate the formation and thermodynamic equilibrium of wetting/adsorption liquid films on poorly wetted substrates.
  • To discuss contact angle calculations and wetting hysteresis mechanisms driven by surface forces.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of disjoining pressure isotherms.
  • Theoretical examination of wetting in planar and curved geometries.
  • Consideration of thermodynamic equilibrium between liquid films and bulk liquid.

Main Results:

  • Disjoining pressure significantly influences wetting regimes in both planar and curved systems.
  • Wetting and adsorption films can form and achieve thermodynamic equilibrium with bulk liquid on poorly wetted surfaces.
  • Contact angles can be calculated based on disjoining pressure isotherms, revealing differences in wettability between flat and curved surfaces.

Conclusions:

  • Surface forces, especially disjoining pressure, are paramount in defining wetting behavior.
  • The study of liquid film formation and stability is key to understanding interfacial phenomena.
  • Wetting hysteresis is intrinsically linked to the action of surface forces, impacting contact angle measurements.