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Related Concept Videos

Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity02:57

Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity

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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 of Fluid01:22

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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...
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Viscosity01:17

Viscosity

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When water is poured into a glass, it falls freely and quickly, whereas if honey or maple syrup is poured over a pancake, it flows slowly and sticks to the surface of the container. This difference in the flow of different kinds of liquids arises due to the fluid friction between the liquid layers and the liquid and the surrounding material. This property of fluids is called fluid viscosity. In this example, water has a lower viscosity than honey and maple syrup.
The SI unit of viscosity is...
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Viscosity of Fluid01:19

Viscosity of Fluid

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Viscosity measures the resistance a fluid offers to flow and deformation. It results from internal friction between layers of fluid moving relative to one another. Dynamic viscosity, denoted by the Greek letter mu (μ), quantifies the force needed to move one fluid layer over another. For Newtonian fluids like water and air, the relationship between the shearing stress and the rate of shearing strain is linear, meaning their viscosity remains constant regardless of the applied stress.
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Surface Tension and Surface Energy01:16

Surface Tension and Surface Energy

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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,...
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Capillarity in Fluid01:19

Capillarity in Fluid

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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...
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Microtensiometer for Confocal Microscopy Visualization of Dynamic Interfaces
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Subnanometer Interfacial Hydrodynamics: Spatially Resolved Viscosity and Surface Friction.

Shane R Carlson1, Roland R Netz1

  • 1Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin, Germany.

Nano Letters
|October 3, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Accurate nanofluidic simulations require understanding liquid behavior at surfaces. New models describe interfacial friction and viscosity, improving nanoscale fluid flow predictions.

Keywords:
frictioninterfacesmolecular dynamics simulationsnanofluidicssoft matterviscosity

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Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Accurate description of nanofluidic systems requires understanding liquid transport at subnanometer scales.
  • Surface-liquid interactions significantly influence friction and viscosity at interfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a framework for accurately describing interfacial fluid flow at the nanoscale.
  • To investigate the relationship between surface properties and interfacial transport coefficients.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations.
  • Studied water interacting with various self-assembled monolayers (SAMs).
  • Developed generalized, position-dependent friction and viscosity profiles.

Main Results:

  • Identified interrelations between Navier friction coefficient, interfacial viscosity excess, and depletion length via power laws.
  • Demonstrated exponential scaling of these properties with the work of adhesion.
  • Validated a framework for subnanometer interfacial fluid flow.

Conclusions:

  • The developed framework accurately describes subnanometer interfacial fluid flow.
  • Findings have implications for electrokinetics, biophysics, and nanofluidics.
  • Understanding interfacial transport is crucial for nanoscale system design.