Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity

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...

Surface Tension and Surface Energy

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.
Consider a beaker filled with liquid. The bulk molecules in the liquid experience equal attractive forces on all sides with the surrounding molecules. However, the surface molecules experience a net attractive force downward due to the bulk molecules. The surface of the liquid behaves like a stretched membrane,...

Surface Tension

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,...

Wood Surfacing

Wood Surfacing

Wood surfacing is a critical finishing process designed to smoothen the wood surface, enhance its dimensional accuracy, and make handling safer. This process compensates for potential shrinkage during the seasoning phase by marginally increasing the wood dimensions before surfacing. It also helps correct some distortions that may occur as the wood dries.
The equipment used in the surfacing process is a plane equipped with rotating blades. This tool efficiently smoothens the wood surface and can...

Surface Tension of Fluid

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

17‑AAG synergizes with Belinostat to exhibit a negative effect on the proliferation and invasion of MDA‑MB‑231 breast cancer cells.

Oncology reports·2020

Same author

Integrin β3 Deficiency Results in Hypertriglyceridemia via Disrupting LPL (Lipoprotein Lipase) Secretion.

Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology·2020

Same author

Discovery of a Potent and Selective NF-κB-Inducing Kinase (NIK) Inhibitor That Has Anti-inflammatory Effects in Vitro and in Vivo.

Journal of medicinal chemistry·2020

Same author

Discovery of 8-Methyl-pyrrolo[1,2-<i>a</i>]pyrazin-1(2<i>H</i>)-one Derivatives as Highly Potent and Selective Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal (BET) Bromodomain Inhibitors.

Journal of medicinal chemistry·2020

Same author

Lead discovery, chemical optimization, and biological evaluation studies of novel histone methyltransferase SET7 small-molecule inhibitors.

Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters·2020

Same author

Compression of Cerebellar Functional Gradients in Schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia bulletin·2020

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Fabricating Superhydrophobic Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications

Fabricating Superhydrophobic Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications

Published on: August 28, 2015

Creation of superwetting surfaces with roughness structures.

Varun Garg¹, Lei Qiao, Prasha Sarwate

¹Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington , 500 West First Street, Woolf Hall 226, Arlington, Texas 76019, United States.

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids

|November 14, 2014

Summary

Researchers created superwetting surfaces with apparent contact angles less than 5° by controlling the top surface ratio of micro- and nanostructures. This innovation eliminated surface tension effects, causing denser plates to sink.

More Related Videos

Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Metal Surfaces for Anti-Icing Applications

Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Metal Surfaces for Anti-Icing Applications

Published on: August 15, 2018

Rendering SiO2/Si Surfaces Omniphobic by Carving Gas-Entrapping Microtextures Comprising Reentrant and Doubly Reentrant Cavities or Pillars

Rendering SiO2/Si Surfaces Omniphobic by Carving Gas-Entrapping Microtextures Comprising Reentrant and Doubly Reentrant Cavities or Pillars

Published on: February 11, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Fabricating Superhydrophobic Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications

Fabricating Superhydrophobic Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications

Published on: August 28, 2015

Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Metal Surfaces for Anti-Icing Applications

Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Metal Surfaces for Anti-Icing Applications

Published on: August 15, 2018

Rendering SiO2/Si Surfaces Omniphobic by Carving Gas-Entrapping Microtextures Comprising Reentrant and Doubly Reentrant Cavities or Pillars

Rendering SiO2/Si Surfaces Omniphobic by Carving Gas-Entrapping Microtextures Comprising Reentrant and Doubly Reentrant Cavities or Pillars

Published on: February 11, 2020

Area of Science:

Surface Science
Materials Science
Physics

Background:

Superwetting surfaces, defined by apparent contact angles <5°, are crucial for manipulating surface tension.
Traditional approaches often focus on roughness ratio, but its role in superwetting is re-evaluated.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the creation of superwetting surfaces using specific roughness structures.
To investigate the influence of surface topography on achieving superwetting.
To demonstrate the application of superwetting surfaces in eliminating surface tension effects on denser objects.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of hybrid micro- and nanostructures with controlled top surface ratios.
Measurement of apparent contact angles to identify superwetting conditions.
Application of superwetting surfaces to a small plate denser than the surrounding liquid.

Main Results:

The top surface ratio, not the overall roughness ratio, was found to be the critical factor for superwetting.
Apparent contact angles <5° were achieved when the top surface ratio was <0.013 and the intrinsic contact angle was ≥40°.
Superwetting surfaces successfully eliminated surface tension, causing a denser small plate to sink.

Conclusions:

Hybrid micro- and nanostructures with a low top surface ratio are effective in creating superwetting surfaces.
Controlling the top surface ratio offers a new pathway for designing superwetting materials.
The elimination of surface tension via superwetting has practical implications for buoyancy and object suspension.