Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

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.
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.
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...
Capillary Beds01:20

Capillary Beds

Capillary beds are networks of tiny blood vessels that play a crucial role in the circulatory system. These beds are where the exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste products occurs between the blood and surrounding tissues. Each capillary bed consists of numerous capillaries, which are the smallest blood vessels in the body, typically only one cell-thick. This thinness allows for the efficient diffusion of substances.
Capillaries connect arterioles, small branches of arteries, to venules,...
Capillaries and Their Types01:20

Capillaries and Their Types

Capillaries, a crucial constituent of the circulatory system, are diminutive vessels with a diameter between 5–10 micrometers, accommodating perfusion to the tissues through the phenomenon known as microcirculation. Through their permeable walls, consisting of an endothelial layer ensconced by a basement membrane and sporadically dispersed smooth muscle fibers, the exchange of substances between the blood and the interstitial fluid becomes plausible. Variance in wall composition exists, with...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Integrating microbial biomass, composition and function to discern the level of anthropogenic activity in a river ecosystem.

Environment international·2018
Same author

c-Jun-mediated microRNA-302d-3p induces RPE dedifferentiation by targeting p21<sup>Waf1/Cip1</sup>.

Cell death & disease·2018
Same author

High expression of synthesis of cytochrome c oxidase 2 and TP53-induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator can predict poor prognosis in human lung adenocarcinoma.

Human pathology·2018
Same author

Comparison of the efficacy of dispensing granules with traditional decoction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Annals of translational medicine·2018
Same author

Serum Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2-binding protein evaluates liver function and predicts prognosis in liver cirrhosis.

Journal of digestive diseases·2018
Same author

Acupuncture for constipation in patients with stroke: protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BMJ open·2018
Same journal

Erratum: Bacterial Turbulence at Compressible Fluid Interfaces [Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 138301 (2026)].

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Unveiling Light-Quark Yukawa Flavor Structure via Dihadron Fragmentation at Lepton Colliders.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Adaptable Route to Fast Coherent State Transport via Bang-Bang-Bang Protocols.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Topological Transition and Emergence of Elasticity of Dislocation in Skyrmion Lattice: Beyond Kittel's Magnetic-Polar Analogy.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Pound-Drever-Hall Method for Superconducting-Qubit Readout.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Coupling a ^{73}Ge Nuclear Spin to an Electrostatically Defined Quantum Dot in Silicon.

Physical review letters·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Microtensiometer for Confocal Microscopy Visualization of Dynamic Interfaces
08:05

Microtensiometer for Confocal Microscopy Visualization of Dynamic Interfaces

Published on: September 9, 2022

Existent Condition of Partially Wet State in Capillary Tubes.

Chen Zhao1, Jiajia Zhou1,2,3, Masao Doi4,5

  • 1South China University of Technology, South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangzhou 510640, China.

Physical Review Letters
|June 22, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

We present a theory predicting fluid equilibrium states in cornered capillaries. The partially wet state, a fluid film in corners, exists within specific contact angle and curvature ranges.

More Related Videos

The WinCF Model - An Inexpensive and Tractable Microcosm of a Mucus Plugged Bronchiole to Study the Microbiology of Lung Infections
06:57

The WinCF Model - An Inexpensive and Tractable Microcosm of a Mucus Plugged Bronchiole to Study the Microbiology of Lung Infections

Published on: May 8, 2017

Wicking Tests for Unidirectional Fabrics: Measurements of Capillary Parameters to Evaluate Capillary Pressure in Liquid Composite Molding Processes
07:06

Wicking Tests for Unidirectional Fabrics: Measurements of Capillary Parameters to Evaluate Capillary Pressure in Liquid Composite Molding Processes

Published on: January 27, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Microtensiometer for Confocal Microscopy Visualization of Dynamic Interfaces
08:05

Microtensiometer for Confocal Microscopy Visualization of Dynamic Interfaces

Published on: September 9, 2022

The WinCF Model - An Inexpensive and Tractable Microcosm of a Mucus Plugged Bronchiole to Study the Microbiology of Lung Infections
06:57

The WinCF Model - An Inexpensive and Tractable Microcosm of a Mucus Plugged Bronchiole to Study the Microbiology of Lung Infections

Published on: May 8, 2017

Wicking Tests for Unidirectional Fabrics: Measurements of Capillary Parameters to Evaluate Capillary Pressure in Liquid Composite Molding Processes
07:06

Wicking Tests for Unidirectional Fabrics: Measurements of Capillary Parameters to Evaluate Capillary Pressure in Liquid Composite Molding Processes

Published on: January 27, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Fluid dynamics
  • Surface science
  • Materials science

Background:

  • Capillary phenomena are crucial in various scientific fields.
  • Understanding fluid behavior in confined geometries is essential for applications like microfluidics and porous media.
  • The role of corners in capillary wetting has been historically challenging to model.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a theoretical framework for predicting fluid equilibrium states in capillaries with corners.
  • To identify and characterize the distinct wetting states: completely wet, partially wet (corner film), and completely dry.
  • To determine the conditions under which the partially wet state exists.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical modeling of fluid behavior in a square capillary with rounded corners.
  • Calculation of the phase diagram for different equilibrium states.
  • Analysis of the parameter space defined by equilibrium contact angle and corner curvature.

Main Results:

  • A theory predicting three equilibrium states: completely wet, partially wet (corner film), and completely dry.
  • The phase diagram reveals specific regions for each state.
  • The partially wet state is shown to be contingent on the interplay between contact angle and corner curvature.

Conclusions:

  • The developed theory accurately predicts fluid equilibrium states in cornered capillaries.
  • The existence of the partially wet state is limited to a defined region in the parameter space.
  • This work provides fundamental insights into capillary fluid behavior in complex geometries.