CHM170L Physical Chemistry 1 Laboratory

4nd Quarter SY 2015-2016

Surface Tension of Liquids

1Badiola, Ma. Denisse W., 1Celocia, Shaira L., 1Combalicer, Mark Eugene A., 1Tolentino, Aika Cecille I.

1School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, B.S. Chemical Engineering, Mapua Institute of Technology

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this experiment are to measure the surface tension of a pure liquid and of an aqueous
solution, to determine the effect of bulk solute concentration on the surface tension of aqueous solution,
and to evaluate graphically the parameter of the Gibbs isotherm. The surface tension is defined by the
work per unit area which is necessary to break or change the shape. In the experiment, a tensiometer was
used to determine the surface tension of pure water and n-butanol of different concentrations. It has been
found out that the surface tensions are in general different from those of pure solvents. Also, it has been
found out that addition of solutes weakens the surface tension of pure substances like water due to the
presence of –OH that deviates the hydrogen bonding of pure substances. Generally, we can say that
surface tension is affected by the disruption intermolecular forces present in substances. The test
showed good result because the value of R2 for the graph of the surface tension versus the natural
logarithm of concentration is 0.9738.

Keywords: Gibbs isotherm, surface tension, tensiometer

INTRODUCTION

Molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only
toward the interior; these attractions pull the surface layer
toward the center. The most stable situation is one in which
the surface are if the liquid is minimal. In terms of geometry,
it is mostly achieved by a liquid which assumes a spherical
shape. Surface tension is a measure of the inward forces
that must be overcome to expand the surface area of liquid
[1].
Surface tension occurs due to the intermolecular forces of
attraction within the liquid. At the part of the liquid, the water
molecules would be surrounded by strong intermolecular
forces around it dominated by hydrogen bonds. These
forces would be symmetrical so that the net force would be
zero. On the other hand, a water molecule at the surface of
a liquid would experience otherwise that is the forces
affecting it is no longer symmetrical. Such molecule will be
attracted inwards since the number of molecule in interacts
with in a given volume is greater in the liquid below than in
the gases above. The surface of a liquid will have the
tendency to contract as a result of such inward pull. The
liquid then contracts to give itself lesser available surface
area which in turn results in the lowest possible free energy
at a given temperature and pressure. To prevent
contraction work must be exerted which increases the
surface area of the liquid by bringing molecules above on
the surface. This work as the surface free energy.
Quantitatively, surface tension is defined as the force in the
surface place per unit length [2]. The ring provides such
parameter for determining the “per length” factor, and the
equipment for detecting the force exerted. The term
interfacial tension is defined as the force equivalent to the
surface of the boundary [3]. The surface tension is related
to the concentration of the solute at a given temperature as
correlated from Gibbs Isotherm equation:
Where γ is the surface tension in dynes/cm, C is the bulk
concentration in moles/ cubic meter and u is the surface
concentration in moles/ square meter. This equation will be
used later to obtain a graphical representation of the Gibbs

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 CHM170L Physical Chemistry 1 Laboratory
4nd Quarter SY 2015-2016

Isotherm obtaining the surface concentration for the

solution will then be possible upon determining the slope of
the equation.

The methods used for the determination of surface tension

are grouped into two: the static and dynamic method. In this
experiment, the tensiometer-ring method, which is a static
method, was used. The surface tension is measured by
balancing surface tension along a certain boundary line
against an equal force. The objective of the experiment is to
measure the surface tension of a pure liquid and of an
aqueous solution; also to determine the effect of bulk solute
concentration on the surface tension of aqueous solution;
and lastly to evaluate graphically the parameters of the
Gibbs isotherm [3]. Figure 1. Preparation of the n-butanol solution

In using the tensiometer, the sample was placed in the

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The materials and equipment used in this experiment were
50-mL volumetric flasks, 1-mL pipette, and the tensiometer,
while the reagents used were distilled water and n-butanol.
The volume of the n-butanol was measured using the
formula (concentration n/L)(50 mL)(1 L/1000 mL)(1/0.81)(74
g). The amount of n-butanol needed for a corresponding
concentration was pipetted into the volumetric flask and
was diluted to mark. The procedure was followed from
concentration by 0.1 n/L to 0.80 n/L with increasing
concentration of 0.10. Then, the tensiometer was set up to
start the experiment. The surface tension of distilled water
was first measured; also its temperature was noted. It was
measured three times, and then its average was
determined. Next was the surface tension of the n–butanol
starting from 0.10 n/L up to 0.80 n/L.
sample cup and the sample cup was then place in the
tensiometer. Then the ring was hung. The button Reset was
pressed then the up button to start the test and the values
was shown in the tensiometer was noted. After several
seconds, when the surface tension of the sample was
broken the stop button, the button with a circle, was
pressed then Peak button then the down button to start the
test again. When the ring broke the surface tension and its
sample, the stop button was pressed and the values were
subtracted/added to the previous values shown. The
difference of the values was the measured surface tension.

Figure 2 (Placing the sample in the tensiometer)

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4nd Quarter SY 2015-2016

RESULTS and DISCUSSIONS Water has the highest value for its surface tension of all
commonly liquids. Addition of small quantities of impurities
The surface tension of water and n-butanol-water solution will alter the surface tension. In general, organic impurities
was determined. are found to lower the surface tension of water significantly.

Table 1 (Surface Tension of Pure Water) N-butanol is a primary alcohol. The hydrophobicity of the n-
Temperature 32°C
butanol causes the significant reduction in surface tension
Measured Surface Tension of Water of water. The reason for the large effect on surface tension
Trial 1 77.8 dynes/cm is that the water molecules have a greater attraction to each
Trial 2 79.2 dynes/cm other than to n-butanol, consequently the butanol is
Trial 3 80.2 dynes/cm concentrated at the water/air interface, rather than in the
Surface Tension (Mean) 79.07 dynes/cm bulk of the water [4].
Surface Tension (Literature 70.85 dynes/cm
Value) Also, alcohols disrupt the hydrogen bonding force and
Difference (lit-mean) -8.22 dynes/cm reduced the intermolecular forces of the water. Thus, the
surface tension of the water decreases as the amount of n-
The mean surface tension of pure water at 32°C is slightly butanol present in the solution increases [5].
greater than the literature surface tension value with the
difference of -8.22 dynes/cm. The difference between the Table 3 (Data Points for the Gibbs Isotherm Correlation)
literature surface tension value and the mean surface Concentration, Natural logarithm Corrected
tension of a pure water was used to calculate for the mol/cm3 of concentration Surface Tension,
corrected surface tension of any solution that has water dynes,cm
concentration on it. For this case, the corrected surface 0.0000 - 70.28
tension of the n-butanol solution at different concentrations 0.0001 -9.21034 67.43
were calculated by adding the difference to the measured 0.0002 -8.51719 57.18
surface tension of the n-butanol. 0.0003 -8.11173 49.43
0.0004 -7.82405 44.73
Table 2 (Surface Tension of n-butanol Solution at Different 0.0005 -7.6009 41.78
Concentrations)
0.0006 -7.41858 37.53
Concentration, Surface Tensions, dynes/cm
0.0007 -7.26443 34.58
mole/ liter Measured Corrected
0.0008 -7.1309 31.78
Trial 1 Trial 2 Average
0.00 77.8 79.2 78.2 70.28
Table 3 shows the data needed to correlate the
0.10 75.7 75.6 75.65 67.43
concentration of the solute with the surface tension. The
0.20 65.3 65.5 65.4 57.18
concentrations were converted to mol/cm3.
0.30 57.6 57.7 57.65 49.43
0.40 52.9 53 52.95 44.73 Figure 3. (Gibbs Isotherm Correlation)
0.50 49.8 50.2 50 41.78
0.60 45.8 45.7 45.75 37.53
0.70 43.2 42.4 42.8 34.58
0.80 40 40 40 31.78

In table 2, it shows that as the concentration of the n-

butanol increases, the measured and the corrected surface
tension decreases. It is inversely proportional to each other.

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is important to dry the ring first before it is sample again in

Gibbs Isotherm Correlation another fluid to achieve accuracy of data.
0
REFERENCES
0 20 40 60 80
-2
[1] Whitten, K., Davis, R., Peck, M., and Stanley, G.
y = -2.719ln(x) + 2.418
-4 (2010). Chemistry 9th edition. Brooks/Cole Cengage
R² = 0.9738
lnC

-6
Learning. Canada.

-8 [2] Green, D., and Perry, R. (2008). Perry’s

Chemical Engineers’ Handbook 8th Edition. McGraw-Hill
-10
Corrected Surface Tension Companies.

[3] Caparanga, A. R., Baluyot, J. Y., Soriano, A.N.

The graph of the natural logarithm of the concentration
versus the corrected surface tension was shown in the
figure 3. R-squared value for this graph was 0.9738;
indicating that it was a good result.
The determination of the slope of the graph by means of
linear regression allows for the determination of the surface
concentration for certain solution.
(2206). Physical Chemistry Laboratory Manual Part 1
[4] Buckton G. The Effects of Additives on Surface
Tension. Interfacial Phenomena in Drug Delivery and
Targeting
[5] Water Surface Tension. Retrieve June 14, 2015
from http://errantscience.com/blog/2013/07/24/water-
surface-tension/

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

From this experiment the surface tension of a pure liquid

and an aqueous solution was prioritized in such a way.
Relating these two liquids the surface tension was greatly
achieved and immobilized a relationship of inverse
proportionality between the concentration and energy per
unit surface. Therefore n-Butanol's concentration is
inversely proportional with its surface tension. Even if the
measured value is not similar with the corrected value, it
still shows that as concentration of n-butanol increases
energy per unit surface decreases.

Based on the results obtained and the discussion, two

main generalizations were made after performing the
experiment: The surface tensions of a pure liquid and
aqueous solution were measured using the Du Nuoy
tensiometer and the effect of a bulk solute concentration
lessens the surface tension of aqueous solutions.

Recommendations can be made by cautiously following

the procedure provided to minimize errors that may occur. It

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