EFFECTS OF SALINITY AND TEMPERATURE ON THE SURFACE TENSION OF WATER

I. INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Surface tension is a phenomenon that happens when the surface of a liquid, where the liquid surface is in contact with gas, acts like a thin elastic sheet. The molecules in a liquid (for example, water) are drawn together by intermolecular forces known as Van der Waals force of attraction. The molecules on the surface of the water are not surrounded by water molecules on all sides. They will cohere more strongly with neighboring water molecules, as opposed to air molecules. This creates a film on the surface which requires a certain amount of force to penetrate.

It is revealed, for example, in the floating of some objects on the surface of water, even though they are denser than water, and in the ability of some insects (e.g. water striders) to run on the water surface. This property is caused by cohesion of similar molecules, and is responsible for many of the behaviors of liquids. An interesting thing about surface tension is that it gives the shape that is formed by a drop of water. Ideally all liquids will form a spherical shape in the absence of gravity in order to minimize their surface tension. This is because the sphere has the smallest surface area for a given volume. However, the shape of a water droplet is not spherical due to the force of gravity.

Statement of the Problem:

What are the effects of salinity and temperature in the strength of water surface tension?

Conceptual Framework:

Independent Variable/s

Dependent Variable/s

Salinity: Water with salt Water without salt Strength of Water Surface Tension Temperature: 15C 25C 35C 45C 55C

Hypothesis:

When salt is added to water and the temperature of the water increased, the surface tension of water is reduced.

Significance of the Study:

This study will verify if there are changes in the surface tension when there are changes in the molecular level of the substance being used. If the formulation changes due to the addition of another chemical, the addition of a surfactant, or if anything contaminates the liquid in use, then the surface tension changes. Measuring surface tension is a direct indicator of the quality of any liquid.

Scope and Limitation of the Study:

In this experiment, the changes in the strength of the surface tension of water was deliberates. It is only limited to what are the effects when the water is added with salt. Comparisons between the two solutions were observed. Also, temperature was varied in order to further determine the changes in the strength of surface tension of water.

Definition of Terms:

Cohesion - phenomenon of intermolecular forces holding particles of a substance together. Cohesion differs from adhesion in being the force of attraction between adjacent particles within the same body; adhesion is the interaction between the surfaces of different bodies. The force of cohesion in gases can be observed in the liquefaction of a gas, which is the result of a number of molecules being pressed together to produce forces of attraction high enough to give a liquid structure.

Intermolecular Forces - forces of attraction and repulsion between molecules of matter. Molecular behavior depends to a great extent on the balance (or lack of it) of the forces that pull the molecules together, or push them apart.

Salinity - measurement of the mass of dissolved solids, usually salts, present in a given amount of water.

Sodium Chloride - chemical compound that has the formula NaCl. The term salt is also applied to substances produced by the reaction of an acid with a base, known as a neutralization reaction. Salts are characterized by ionic bonds, relatively high melting points, electrical conductivity when melted or when in solution, and a crystalline structure when in the solid state.

Surface Tension - condition existing at the free surface of a liquid, resembling the properties of an elastic skin under tension. The tension is the result of intermolecular forces exerting an unbalanced inward pull on the individual surface molecules; this is reflected in the considerable curvature at those edges where the liquid is in contact with the wall of a vessel. More specifically, the tension is the force per unit length of any straight line on the liquid surface that the surface layers on the opposite sides of the line exert upon each other.

Temperature - in physics, property of systems that determines whether they are in thermal equilibrium

Water common name for H2O, a chemical compound known to be the universal solvent. Water can exist in three phases, solid, liquid, and gas.

II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Surface tension is a contractive tendency of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force. It is revealed, for example, in the floating of some objects on the surface of water, even though they are denser than water, and in the ability of some insects (e.g. water striders) to run on the water surface. This property is caused by cohesion of similar molecules, and is responsible for many of the behaviors of liquids.

Surface tension has the dimension of force per unit length or of energy per unit area. The two are equivalentbut when referring to energy per unit of area, people use the term surface energywhich is a more general term in the sense that it applies also to solids and not just liquids.

The cohesive forces among liquid molecules are responsible for the phenomenon of surface tension. In the bulk of the liquid, each molecule is pulled equally in every direction by

neighboring liquid molecules, resulting in a net force of zero. The molecules at the surface do not have other molecules on all sides of them and therefore are pulled inwards. This creates some internal pressure and forces liquid surfaces to contract to the minimal area.

Surface tension is dependent on temperature. For that reason, when a value is given for the surface tension of an interface, temperature must be explicitly stated. The general trend is that surface tension decreases with the increase of temperature.

The tendency of any liquid surface is to become as small as possible as a result of this tension, as in the case of mercury, which forms an almost round ball when a small quantity is placed on a horizontal surface. The near-perfect spherical shape of a soap bubble, which is the result of the distribution of tension on the thin film of soap, is another example of this force; surface tension alone can support a needle placed horizontally on a water surface. See also Capillary Action.

Surface tension is important at zero gravity, as in space flight: Liquids cannot be stored in open containers because they run up the vessel walls.

III. METHODOLOGY

Materials: 2 beakers or any containers of similar size 400ml distilled water 2 tablespoons of salt Rice grains 2 pieces of aluminum foil measuring 1cm x 1cm each Refrigerator Hot plate Thermometer

Procedure: 1. For this experiment, the independent variable was the salinity of the water and its temperature 15C, 25C, 35C, 45C and 55C. The dependent variable was the number of rice grains placed on the aluminum foil before it sinks. This was determined by gradually adding grains of rice on the surface of the aluminum foil. The constant variables were the size of the aluminum foil, the size of the grains of rice and the room temperature. The 2 beakers were labeled pure water and salt water. The beakers were each filled with 200ml of distilled water. In the beaker labeled salt water 2 tablespoons of salt were added and mixed into the water. The 2 beakers were then placed in the refrigerator until the contents in the 2 cups reach 15C. The beakers were taken out of the refrigerator and the required temperature was confirmed using a thermometer.

2.

3.

The 1cm x 1cm piece of aluminum foil was made to float on the surface of the water in the beaker labeled pure water. The grains of rice are placed one at a time on the aluminum foil until the aluminum foil sinked into the water. The number of rice grains placed on the foil was recorded. Procedure 3 was repeated with the beaker labeled salt water and the results were also recorded.

4.

5.

The 2 beakers were brought to a room temperature of 25C and Procedure 3 was repeated on these 2 beakers.

6.

The 2 beakers were then placed on a hot plate and heated to temperatures 35C, 45C and 55C. Procedures 3 and 4 are repeated at each required temperature level and the results were recorded.

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1. Results obtained from the experiment Number of Rice Grains Water Solution Water Water + Salt 15C 21 9 25C 19 8 35C 16 8 45C 13 7 55C 11 5

Table 1 shows the amount of rice grains needed before the foil collapsed. This data represented the strength of the surface tension in each set-up. Also, a descending trend in the number of rice grains was shown in both water solutions. However, water alone gave a higher number of rice grain needed. The relationship of salinity, temperature, and strength of surface tension was represented in Figure 1.

Effect of Salinity and Temperature on Water Surface Tension

25 20 Number of Grains 15 10 5 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 Temperature, C Water Water + Salt

Figure 1. Relationship of salinity, temperature, and strength of surface tension

Results show that as the temperature of a solution increases, its surface tension decreases. This means that there is an inverse relationship between temperature and surface tension. Based on these data, we can say that hot water is a better cleaning agent because the lower surface tension makes it a better "wetting agent" to get into pores and fissures rather than bridging them with surface tension.

On the other hand, salinity further lowers the surface tension of water. Salt readily dissolves in water thus, it completely dissociates into their separate ions in water. These ions can lower the surface tension by small amounts.

V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Based on the experiment, we can say that the hypothesis made was correct. Indeed, higher temperature will cause the lowering of the surface tension as well as the addition of salt. Surface tension in liquids is caused by a phenomenon known as cohesion. Cohesion is when the molecules of a substance cling together more tightly to each other than to molecules of other substance. The water molecules at the surface have fewer molecules around them than the ones in the middle, so the bond between these surface molecules is stronger than the bonds of other water molecules. This attraction of the surface molecules to each other is also much greater than their bond to the air molecules surrounding them.

It is highly recommend to further test the effects of other substances when added to water like detergent, oil, etc.

VI. REFERENCES Freedman, Roger A.; Young, Hugh D. University Physics with Modern Physics, Cambridge, Mass. Addison-Wesley Publishing. Com., Inc., 10th ed., 2000 Jones, Andrew Zimmerman, 2010, Surface Tension, About.com Guide in Physics Lite, David R. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 75th Ed. Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. White, Harvey E. (1948). Modern College Physics. van Nostrand.