DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, UNIVERSITY OF COLOMBO

GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATARY II

GPL 212

Determination of surface tension of a liquid

Group - 3- B

Name - W.Y.Madushani

Index - 13153

Partner - G.D.G.M.Senevirathne

Date - 2017/09/21
 ABSTRACT

The main objective of this report is to determine the surface tension of water. This experiment was
done by following two different methods. Those are drop-weight of water method and rise of water
level in a capillary tube method. Changes in the value of surface tension after water mixed up with
detergent and interfacial tension between water and oil is also discussed in this report. Advantages
and practical situations where surface tension is found also discussed here.
Surface Tension of water by drop weight method is 0.0743 ±0.0001 N m−1 and by Rise in a
Capillary Tube is 0.0560 ± 0.0004 N m−1 .Surface Tension of detergent solution is 0.0281 ± 0.0001
N m−1.And the interfacial Tension between water and oil is (0.0223 ±0.0001) N m−1.

1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................5
2 THEORY......................................................................................................................6
3 APPARATUS AND ACCESSORIES..........................................................................9
4 METHODOLOGY.......................................................................................................1
5 EXPERIMENTAL DATA............................................................................................3
6 DATA ANALYSIS.......................................................................................................5
7 ERROR ANALYSIS....................................................................................................9
8 FINAL RESULTS......................................................................................................13
9 DISCUSSION.............................................................................................................14
10 CONCLUSION...........................................................................................................17
11 REFERENCES...........................................................................................................18

2
TABLE OF FIGURES

Figure 1: A cylindrical drop that is just about to break away..............................................................6

Figure 2 :Rise of water in a capillary tube due to surface tension.......................................................8
Figure 3 : Apparatus and accessories...................................................................................................9
Figure 4 :Experimental setup to measure surface tension of water.....................................................1
Figure 5 :Experimental setup to measure interfacial tension of water and oil....................................2
Figure 6 :Experimental setup to measure rise of water in a capillary tube..........................................2
Figure 7 :effect of levelling the microscope......................................................................................15

3
LIST OF TABLE

Table 1 : Measurements of the glass tube............................................................................................3

Table 2 : Weight of all drops of water.................................................................................................3
Table 3 :Weight of all drops of detergent solution..............................................................................3
Table 4 : Weight of all drops of water in oil........................................................................................3
Table 5 :Measurements of capillary tube.............................................................................................4
Table 6 :Measurements of rise (h) of water.........................................................................................4
Table 7: Mean weight of a drop of experiment 1.a..............................................................................5
Table 8: Mean weight of a drops of experiment 1.b............................................................................6
Table 9: Mean weight of a drop of experiment 1.c..............................................................................7
Table 10 :Error of a drop of experiment 1.a......................................................................................10
Table 11 :Error of a drop of experiment 1.b......................................................................................10
Table 12 :Experimental value............................................................................................................17

4
 1 INTRODUCTION
Surface tension is acting all around us, everywhere and all the time, affecting our daily life in a
number of ways. surface tension, what keeps the billions of cells in our body functional, ensuring
the proper organization of their biomolecules, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, into membranes
and various types of cellular organelles. Surface tension is a fundamental property of water, making
it an ideal medium allowing for life as we know it to exist.

Surface tension is the energy, or work, required to increase the surface area of a liquid due to
intermolecular forces. Since these intermolecular forces vary depending on the nature of the liquid
(e.g. water vs. gasoline) or solutes in the liquid (e.g. surfactants like detergent), each solution
exhibits differing surface tension properties.

The cohesive forces between liquid molecules are responsible for the phenomenon. In a sample of
water, there are two types of molecules. Those that are on the outside, exterior and those that are on
the inside, interior. The interior molecules are attracted to all the molecules around them, while the
exterior molecules are attracted to only the other surface molecules and to those below the surface.
This makes it so that the energy state of the molecules on the interior is much lower than that of the
molecules on the exterior. Because of this, the molecules try to maintain a minimum surface area,
thus allowing more molecules to have a lower energy state. This is what creates surface tension.

Surface tension has the dimension of force per unit length or of energy per unit area. The two are
equivalent, but when referring to energy per unit area, it is common to use the term surface energy,
which is a more genera term in the sense that it applies also to solid. The SI unit of the surface
tension is Nm-1 and the C.G.S. unit is dyne cm-1.

Surface Tension in water

Surface Tension of Water The surface tension of water is 7.2×10 -2 Nm-1 at 25°C. It would take a
force of 7.2N to break a surface film of water 1 cm long. The surface tension of water decreases
significantly with temperature as shown in the diagram. The surface tension arises from the polar
nature of the water molecule.

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. Soaps and
detergents further lower the surface tension.

Surface tension of depends on following factors.

i. Temperature
ii. Substance which is above the liquid surface
iii. Purity of the liquid

5
 2 THEORY
Cohesion and adhesive forces

Cohesive forces are the intermolecular forces (such as those from hydrogen bonding and Van der

Waals forces) which cause a tendency in liquids to resist separation. These attractive forces exist
between molecules of the same substance. For instance, rain falls in droplets, rather than a fine
mist, because water has strong cohesion which pulls its molecules tightly together, forming
droplets. This force tends to unite molecules of a liquid, gathering them into relatively large
clusters due to the molecules' dislike for its surrounding.

Adhesive forces are the attractive forces between unlike molecules. They are caused by forces
acting between two substances, such as mechanical forces (sticking together) and electrostatic
forces (attraction due to opposing charges). In the case of a liquid wetting agent, adhesion causes
the liquid to cling to the surface on which it rests. When water is poured on clean glass, it tends to
spread, forming a thin, uniform film over the glasses surface. This is because the adhesive forces
between water and glass are strong enough to pull the water molecules out of their spherical
formation and hold them against the surface of the glass, thus avoiding the repulsion between like
molecules.

Angle of contact
When free surface of liquid comes in contact with solid, it becomes curved near the place of
contact. The angle between tangents drawn on liquid surface and solid surface inside liquid at point
of contact is called angle of contact.

Drop-Weight method
When a liquid is dropping through a small tube, the surface tension determines the size of a drop.
Therefore, the inner radius of the tube and the surface tension has a relationship with the weight of
a drop. Therefore, if the inner radius of a tube and the mean weight of drop falling through it are
known, the surface tension of the liquid can be determined,

Figure 1: A cylindrical drop that is just about to break away

6
 Assuming that the drop has the cylindrical form (as indicated in Figure 2.1) when it is about to
break away from the tube, the excess pressure ( ∆ P ) inside the drop due to the cylindrical
curvature given as,

T
∆ P=
r

Where T is the surface tension of the liquid and r is the radius of the orifice.

T
The down thrust on the drop = × π r 2 =Tπr
r

If m is the weight of the drop, the total downward force = Tπr +mg

This total downward force is balanced by the upward forces of surface tension round the circle
of contact,

The upward force = 2 πrT

2 πrT =πrT +mg

mg
T=
πr

This expression is deduced on the assumption that the drops break away under ideal statically
conditions. The problem however, is complicated by dynamical considerations. Taking these into
account, Rayleigh has shown that a closer approximation is given by the formula,

mg
T=
3.8 r

This method can also be used to determine the interfacial tension of two non-miscible liquids,
by allowing drops of the heavier liquid (with density ρ1) fall through the lighter (with density ρ2).
The equation for surface tension will be modified as,

mg ρ1− ρ2
T=
3.8 r ρ1( )
Liquid by Rise in a Capillary Tube Method
When the lower end of a vertical glass tube is placed in a liquid such as water, a concave meniscus
forms. The adhesive force between the fluid and the solid inner wall pulling the liquid column up
until there is a sufficient mass of liquid for gravitational forces to overcome these intermolecular
forces. Hence the weight of the column of liquid (of density ρ ) below the meniscus is supported by
the upward forces of surface tension acting round the circumference of the circle of contact;

7
 Figure 2 :Rise of water in a capillary tube due to surface tension

Force due to surface tension

↑ F=Tcosθ×2 πr

Weight of the liquid column

↓ F=π r 2 hρg

By equating the two forces, surface tension is given by

hρgr
T=
2cos θ

For a liquid that wets the glass ,θ=0 °. Then, surface tension is given as

hρgr
T=
2

With very fine capillary tubes, the meniscus surface may be considered to be hemispherical, and
the weight of liquid above the lowest point of the meniscus is

2 1
π r 3 ρg− π r 3 ρg= π r 3 ρg
3 3

Hence, a more accurate expression for T can be obtained by

1
2 πrT =π r 2 hρg+ π r 3 ρg
3

1 r
T = gρr h+
2 3( )

8
 3 APPARATUS AND ACCESSORIES
Experiment 1

 Funnel or burette attached to a short glass tube (of diameter 4 or 5mm) where the dropping
end is coated with paraffin wax
 Screw clip
 Beakers
 Electronic Balance
 Travelling microscope
 Cathetometer
 Detergent
 Oil

Experiment 2

 Set of glass capillary tubes

 Stand with clamp
 Beaker
 Travelling microscope
 Cathetometer

Travelling microscope
Cathetometer

Figure 3 : Apparatus and accessories

Travelling microscope has a microscope and it can movable both horizontally and vertically.

Cathetometer has a telescope and it can movable only in vertically.

9
 4 METHODOLOGY
Experiment 1 (Determination of surface tension of a liquid by drop weight method)

Before starting the experiments all the beakers were well rinsed with tap water and dried using
tissue papers.

 At first, the internal radius of the glass tube was measured using the travelling microscope
and the setup was prepared as in figure.
 Then about 50 ml of water was poured into the funnel. The screw clip was adjusted in such
a way that the rate at which the drops form at the end of the tube was around 4-5 drops per
minute. Then the cumulative weight of the beaker was measured after every 25 drops using
the electronic balance, the values were recorded. This was repeated for 50, 75, 100, 125
water drops and recorded corresponding weights. And the mean mass of the drop of the
water was calculated.

Figure 4 :Experimental setup to measure surface tension of water

 Then 10g of the detergent was measured using electronic balance, added to 50ml of water
and the same process which is mentioned above was repeated, and the mean mass of the
drop of the detergent solution was calculated.
 Then some oil was poured into the beaker and the beaker was mounted on a top pan
electronic balance. Funnel containing about 50ml of water was then fixed above the beaker.
This was done in such a way that the tip of the funnel was well immersed in oil
 Then the above process was repeated. The rate at which the drops form at the end of the
tube was slightly increased in order to speed up the process. Then the mean mass of the
drop of the water in oil was calculated.
 Figure 5 :Experimental setup to measure interfacial tension of water and oil

Experiment 2 (Determination of surface tension of a liquid by rise in a capillary tube)

1. At the beginning of this experiment the capillary tubes and the beaker were well rinsed with
distilled water. Then the water that was stuck inside the tubes was absorbed into a tissue. Then a
piece of sticker paper mark was made on the trunk of the capillary tube. The inner radius of the
capillary tube was measured using the travelling microscope, the value was recorded. Then the
following apparatus was set up by clamping the tube in a vertical position.

2. Then the beaker was kept on the stand and the stand was raised until the water level reached the
sticker paper.

3. Then the lower portion of meniscus reading was recorded from the travelling microscope. Then
the water beaker was removed and the height of the sticker paper was recorded keeping the setup as
it is by using travelling microscope. This process was repeated for another tube with a different
diameter.

Figure 6 :Experimental setup to measure rise of water in a capillary tube

 5 EXPERIMENTAL DATA
Experiment 01

Table 1 : Measurements of the glass tube

1st reading 2nd reading

(±0.0005 cm) (±0.0005 cm)
X1(cm) X2(cm) Y1(cm) Y2(cm)
1.212 0.048 9.879 9.319

Table 2 : Weight of all drops of water

No. of drops Cumulative mass of drops (g)

(±0.01g)
25 2.04
50 4.06
75 6.04
100 8.09
125 10.13

Table 3 :Weight of all drops of detergent solution

No. of drops Cumulative mass of drops (g)

(±0.01g)
25 0.78
50 1.54
75 2.31
100 3.06

Table 4 : Weight of all drops of water in oil

No. of drops Cumulative mass of drops (g)

(±0.01g)
25 7.84
50 15.78
75 23.78
100 31.94
Experiment 2

Table 5 :Measurements of capillary tube

1st reading 2nd reading

(±0.0005 cm) (±0.0005 cm)
X1(cm) X2(cm) Y1(cm) Y2(cm)
1.741 1.075 9.138 8.490

Table 6 :Measurements of rise (h) of water

Tube Reading of lower portion of Reading of the sticker

meniscus(mm) mark(mm)
1st Tube 113.41±0.005 115.40±0.005

2nd Tube 124.78±0.005 126.21±0.005

 6 DATA ANALYSIS
Given data for calculations

Acceleration due to gravity g=980 cms-2

Density of water= 1 gcm-3 (1000kgm-3)

Density of oil= 0.924 gcm-3 (924kgm-3)

Experiment 01 –

 Mean inner radius (R) of the glass tube

X = | X 1−X 2|
= |1.212−0.648|
=0.564 cm

Y = |Y 1−Y 2|
= |9.879−9.319|
=0.560 cm
[ X +Y ]
R=
4

[0.564+ 0.560]
R= cm
4

R = 0.281 cm

 Mean weight of a water drop

Table 7: Mean weight of a drop of experiment 1.a

No. of drops Mass of a Mean mass a

drop (g) drop(g)
25 0.0816
50 0.0812
75 0.0805 0.0810
100 0.0809
125 0.0810

2.04
Mass of a drop (Mw) =
25

= 0.0816 g

4.06
Mass of a drop (Mw) =
50

= 0.0812 g
 (0.0816+ 0.0812+ 0.0805+0.0809+0.0810)
Mean weight of a drop =
5

= 0.0810 g

 Surface tension of water

Mg
T 1=
3.8× R

0.000081× 9.8
T1 = Nm-1
3.8× 0.00281

T 1= 0.0743 Nm-1

 Mean weight of a drop of detergent solution

Table 8: Mean weight of a drops of experiment 1.b

No. of drops Mass of a Mean mass of a

drop (g) drop(g)
25 0.0312
50 0.0308
0.0309
75 0.0308
100 0.0306

0.78
Mean weight of a drop of detergent (Md) =
25

= 0.0312 g

1.54
Mean weight of a drop of detergent (Md) =
50

= 0.0308 g

(0.0312+0.0308+ 0.0308+ 0.0306)

Mean weight of a drop of detergent solution =
4

= 0.0309 g

 Surface tension of water of detergent solution

Mg
T2 =
3.8× R

0.0000306 ×9.8
T 2= Nm-1
3.8 ×0.00281
 T2 = 0.0281 Nm-1

 Mean mass of a drop of water in oil

Table 9: Mean weight of a drop of experiment 1.c

No. of drops Mass of a Mean mass of a

drop (g) drop(g)
25 0.3136
50 0.3156
0.3164
75 0.3171
100 0.3194

7.84
Mean weight of a drop (Mo) =
25

=0.3136 g

15.78
Mean weight of a drop (Mo) =
50

=0.3156 g

0.3136+0.3156+ 0.3171+ 0.3194

Mean weight of a drop =
4

=0.3164 g

 The interfacial tension between water and oil

Mg ρ1−ρ 2
T3 =
3.8× R
× ( ρ1
)

0.0003164 ×9.8
T3 =
3.8 ×0.00281
× ( 1000−924
1000
) Nm-1

T3 = 0.0223 Nm-1

Experiment 02 –

 Mean inner radius (R) of the glass tube

X = | X 1−X 2|
= |1.741−1.075|
=0.666 cm

Y = |Y 1−Y 2|
= |9.138−8.490|
=0.648 cm
[ X +Y ]
R=
4
 [0.666+648]
R= cm
4

R = 0.3285 cm

 Rise in capillary tube,

h = h1 – h2

h = (5.865 – 3.013) cm

h = 2.852 cm

 Surface tension of water,

1 r
T4 = 𝜌g r (h+ )
2 3

1 0.003285
T4 = ×1000 × 9.8 × 0.003285 × (0.02853 + )
2 3

T4 = 0.056 Nm-1
 7 ERROR ANALYSIS
Uncertainty in the radius of the capillary endδr,

Uncertainty in the diameter(X) δX ,

X= X1 - X2
(δ X)2¿ ¿ ¿)2+¿)2 δ X 1 ¿ δ X 2 = 0.0005cm
(δ X)2¿ ¿ ¿)2 × 2
(δ X)¿ ± √ 2 ¿ ¿)
(δ X)¿ ± √ 2 ¿)
δ X=±7.071×10-4 cm
δ X=±0. 0007 cm
Uncertainty in the diameter(Y) δY ,
Y= Y1 - Y2 δ Y 1 ¿ δ Y 2 = 0.0005cm
δ Y =±0.0007 cm
Uncertainty in the mean inner radius(R) δR,
X +Y
R=
4
∂R 2 ∂R 2
(δ R)2 = ( )∂X ( )
(δX )2 +
∂Y
(δY )2 δX =δY =¿ 0.0007cm

2 2
1 1
= ( ) (δX ) + ( ) (δY )
2 2
4 4
δX
=±
2
0.0007
=±
2√2
=± 0.00025 cm
δ R =± 0.0003 cm

Uncertainty of the mass of a drop (W)δ W 2,

w
𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 a water 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝 (m) = ; n=number of drops
n
∂m 2
(δ m)2 = ( )∂w
(δw)2 δw=0.01 g

2
1
= ( ) (δw) 2
n
 δw
=±
n

Table 10 :Error of a drop of experiment 1.a

No. of drops Mass of a Error of a drop

drop (g) (g)
25 0.0816 ±0.00040
50 0.0812 ±0.00020
75 0.0805 ±0.00013
100 0.0809 ±0.00010
125 0.0810 ±0.00008

Table 11 :Error of a drop of experiment 1.b

No. of drops Mass of a Error of a drop

drop (g) (g)
25 0.0312 ±0.00040
50 0.0308 ±0.00020
75 0.0308 ±0.00013
100 0.0306 ±0.00010

Uncertainty of the mean mass of a water drop (M)δ M 2,

Mean weight of a drop
Mean weight of a drop (M ) =
5

m1 +m 2 +m 3 +m4 +m5
M=
5

∂M 2 ∂M 2 ∂M 2 ∂M 2 ∂M 2
(δ M ) =
2
( )
∂ m1
δ m 2
( 1) +
∂ m2
δ ( )
m 2
( 2) +
∂ m3
δ m 2
( 3) +
∂ m4( )
δ m 2
( 4) +
∂ m5
(δ m5)2( ) ( )
1 2 δm 2 1 2 δm 2 1 2 δm 2 1 2 δm 2 1 2 δm 2
=()
5
( 1) +
5 ()
( 2) +
5 ()
( 3) +
5
( 4) + ()
5
( 5) ()
2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1
(δ M ) ¿ ( ) (0.0004) + ( ) (0.0002) + ( ) (0.00013) + ( ) (0.0001) + ( ) (0.00008)
2 2 2 2 2 2
5 5 5 5 5
1
δM =±
5
√( 0.0004 )2 +( 0.0002 )2+ ( 0.00013 )2+ ( 0.0001 )2+( 0.00008 )2
δ M = ± 9.66 × 10-5 g
Uncertainty of the mean mass of a water drop of detergent solution
Mean weight of a drop
Mean weight of a drop (M ) =
4

m1 +m 2 +m 3 +m 4
M=
4
 ∂M 2 ∂M 2 ∂M 2 ∂M 2
(δ M )2 = ( )∂ m1
(δ m1)2 +
∂ m2 ( )
(δ m2)2 +
∂ m3 ( )
(δ m3)2 +
∂ m4
(δ m4)2 ( )
1 2 δm 2 1 2 δm 2 1 2 δm 2 1 2 δm 2
()
=
4 ()
( 1) +
4
( 2) +
4 ()
( 3) +
4 ()
( 4)

2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1
(δ M ) ¿ ( ) (0.0004) + ( ) (0.0002) + ( ) (0.00013) + ( ) (0.0001)
2 2 2 2 2
4 4 4 4
1
δM =± √ ( 0.0004 )2+ ( 0.0002 )2+ ( 0.00013 )2+ ( 0.0001 )2
4
δ M = ± 9.34 × 10-5 g
Uncertainty of the surface tension of water

Mg
T=
3.8× R
2 2 2
δT δm δR
( ) ( ) ( )
T
=
m
+
R

δT = ± T√ ¿ ¿

(δT1) = ± 0.0743 √ ¿ ¿

(δT1) = ± 1.1277× 10-4 Nm-1

Uncertainty of the surface tension of water of detergent solution

Mg
T=
3.8× R
2 2 2
δT δm δR
( ) ( ) ( )
T
=
m
+
R

δT = ± T√ ¿ ¿

(δT1) = ± 0.0281 √ ¿ ¿

(δT1) = ± 8.854× 10-5 Nm-1

Uncertainty of the surface tension of water in oil

Mg ρ1− ρ2
T=
3.8× R ρ1 ( )
2 2 2
δT δm δR
( ) ( ) ( )
T
=
m
+
R

δT = ± T√ ¿ ¿

(δT2) = ± 0.0281 √ ¿ ¿

(δT2) = ± 8.854 × 10-5 Nm-1

 Uncertainty of the rise in capillary tube (h)δh,
h= h1 - h2
(δ h)2¿ ¿ ¿)2+¿)2 δ h1 ¿ δ h2 = 0.0005cm
(δ h)2¿ ¿ ¿)2 × 2
(δ h)¿ ± √ 2 ¿ ¿)
(δ h)¿ ± √ 2 ¿)
δ h=±7.071×10-4 cm
δ h=±0. 0007 cm
Uncertainty of the rise in capillary tube (T3)δ T 3,
1 r
T3 = 𝜌g r (h+ )
2 3

r
Let Y = (h+ )
3

0.3285
Y = (2.852 + )
3

Y = 2.9615 cm

 Uncertainty of Y,
2 2
∂Y ∂Y
(δY)2 = ( )∂h
(δh)2 + ( ) (δr)
∂r
2

(δY)2 = (δh)2 + ( δ3r )

2

2
(δY) = ± (0.0007)2 +( 0.00025 )
√ 3

(δY) = ± 0.000712 cm

 Uncertainty of T,
1
T= 𝜌g r Y
2

¿ = ¿+ ¿

δT3 = ± T√ ¿ ¿

δT3 = ± 0.056 × √ ¿ ¿ cm
δT3 = ± 4.469 × 10-5 Nm-1
 8 FINAL RESULTS
Experiment 1:- Determination of Surface Tension of a Liquid by Drop-Weight Method

 Mean inner radius of the glass tube :- (2.810 ± 0.003)× 10-3 m

 Mean weight of a drop :- (8.100 ±0.010) × 10-5 kg
 Surface Tension of water :- (0.0743 ±0.0001) N m−1
 Mean weight of a drop of detergent solution :- (3.080 ±0.009) × 10-5 kg
 Surface Tension of detergent solution :- (0.0281 ± 0.0001) N m−1
 Mean mass of a drop of water in oil :- (3.164 ± 0.001) × 10-4 kg
 The interfacial Tension between water and oil :- (0.0223 ±0.0001) N m−1

Experiment 2:- Determination of Surface Tension of a Liquid by Rise in a Capillary Tube

 Mean inner radius of the capillary tubes :- (3.285 ± 0.003)× 10-3 m

 Rise of water in capillary tubes :- (2.8520 ± 0.0007)× 10-2 m
 Surface Tension of water :- (0.0560 ± 0.0004) N m−1
 9 DISCUSSION
The main objective of this practical is to get a clear idea about surface tension and how to
determine the surface tension value of liquid in different situations. There are various kinds of
methods to determine the surface tension of a liquid. In this practical, two methods were used to
determine surface tension of a liquid. They are water drop method and rise in capillary tube
method. Drop weight method was used to determine surface tension of water, detergent solution
and interfacial tension between water and oil. Rise in the capillary tube method was used to
determine surface tension of water. In this experiment the experimental values and the theoretical
values are not same due to some experimental errors.

The primary random error associated with this experiment is the human error. When measuring the
diameter of the capillary tube, height of the water column, human errors can be occurred. Before
starting the experiment, all necessary apparatus and accessories should be correctly set up to obtain
better experiment results. Also all the beakers were well rinsed with tap water and dried using
tissue papers.

The actual value of surface tension of water at 25ºC is equal to 0.72N/m but according to the above
calculations the value of the surface tension of the water in the experiment 1 is same to the
expected value and according to the experiment 2 it is lower than the expected value.

The deviation of the values from the expected value is due to errors done while measuring. When
we measured the inner radius of the glass tube from the travelling microscope the glass surface was
broken so we had difficulty focusing on a point on the inner radius. Therefore by using other
method except to travelling microscope can reduce the error of measuring radius values of capillary
tubes. For such purpose can use method of insert a mercury column in to the capillary tube and
measure its length and calculate the diameter of the capillary tube. In this practical it could be
observed that surface tension is depend on the nature of the bonds between molecules. Hence,
detergent causes to decrease surface tension of water. Varying of the electronic balance reading
also affect directly to the final result. When counting the drops we had to maintain a rate of 4 – 5
drops per minute but this cause the practical to be very long since we had to collect 125 drops but
we actually cannot increase the speed of the drops because it will decrease the accuracy, when
measuring the interfacial tension of the water oil interface we could increase the drop rate because
the oil medium is viscous than air it slows down the drop rate greatly. In that dropping end of the
tube was coated with wax so that droplets can release quite easily. Paraffin wax was coated to
reduce adhesive force and increase contact angle at the tip of the tube. So it helps to have an
accurate result and to have a fine flow of liquid drops. There is the difference between ‘surface
tension’ and ‘interfacial tension. Surface tension is measured between the liquid and the air
interfaces but Inter facial tension is measured between two non-miscible liquid interfaces.

Non- miscible refers to the property that two or more liquids won’t mix together and form a single
or a homogenous component, but, physically separated. Hence an interface between two liquids can
be seen. They won’t attracted by molecules of other solution. For example, oil and water are non
-miscible.
Water forms drops on a waxed surface, but it wets a glass surface. Water forms beads on the waxed
surface because the cohesive forces responsible for surface tension are larger than the adhesive
forces, which tend to flatten the drop. Water beads on glass surface are flattened considerably
because the adhesive forces between water and glass are strong, overcoming surface tension. The
contact angle θ is directly related to the relative strengths of the cohesive and adhesive forces. The
larger θ is, the larger the ratio of cohesive to adhesive forces.

The setup used to determine the interfacial tension of oil and water, mounted on an electronic
balance. Because the counting the number of water drops in oil is not an easy task. By the way the
mass of them also be measured. When the beaker is mounted on an electronic balance, it is easy to
start at a certain point (using re-zero button) to count them and weight them.

In the second experiment the capillary tubes should extremely dry and clean so to achieve this we
can clean them from a dilute acid, a dilute base and then distilled water to get rid of impurities and
heat it form a burner to dry it off. When taking measurement in the second experiment because of
the presence of impurities the capillary rise did not occur linearly with the increase of the immersed
length of the capillary tube.

When taking measurements of the liquid meniscus from the cathetometer due to small vibrations in
the surrounding it was difficult to take readings. If it's not levelled reading get more deviated from
the actual value. It's effecting on the radius and the capillary rise height readings.

Figure 7 :effect of levelling the microscope.

We cannot control the temperature. When we started in practical one temperature and after
measure the values in another temperature. Temperature mainly affect to the surface tension. When
the temperature increases there surface tension decreases. Due to increased temperature of water,
impurities of any kind are evaporated and also the inter molecular forces are reduced thus by
lowering surface tension. If this attraction exceeds that between the liquid molecules among
themselves, it reduces the surface energy, resulting in decrease in the surface tension of the
solution. If we can stable temperature it was a better for our final result.

Because of the Surface Tension, we can come cross many circumstances. Some of them are as
bellows. All liquid drops are spherical in shape. Liquids are always try to adjust their shape in order
to have the smallest possible surface area to minimize its potential energy. The smallest area, which
can contain a volume, is spherical in shape. Therefore liquid drops get shape like sphere.

Some liquids wet the solid surfaces while some are not Water (most of the liquids) wet the glass.
But mercury doesn’t wet the glass. Reason is as follows. GPL 110X Surface Tension by Ferguson’s
Method Page 6 When we put a water drop on a glass surface, a water molecule in this drop is
attracted by the other water molecules in the drop and by glass molecules. When we consider water
and glass adhesive forces are stronger than cohesive forces. So water touches the glass. So water
wet the glass. But when we put mercury on the glass, cohesive forces are stronger than adhesive
forces. So mercury doesn’t touch the glass. That mean mercury don’t wet the glass.

It is easier to wash clothes when detergents are added to water. Clothes are made out of small
spaces, Because of the high surface tension of water it can’t enter to those spaces and remove dirt.
Therefore by adding detergents to water reduce the surface tension of the water to achieve such
purpose.

The theory of experiment (a) can be extended to compare the surface tension values of two liquids.
For this, consider m1 and m2 as the mean masses of drops of two liquids and T1 and T2 as the
corresponding surface tension values. Then, obtain an expression for the surface tension of a liquid
(say T2) in terms of that of the other (T1), and of the mean drop masses (m1 and m2).

Mg
T is given by, T=
3.8× R

m1g
For liquid 1 - T1 =
3.8× R

m2g
For liquid 2- T2 =
3.8× R

Dividing T1 from T2,

m1 g
( )
T1 3.8 r
=
T2 m g
( 2 )
3.8 r

m2
T2 = T1 × ( )
m1

By completing these practical successfully, through knowledge about how the surface tension
varied with other factors were obtained.
 10 CONCLUSION
This experiment is designed to obtain the variation of surface tension of liquid. Surface tension of a
liquid can be easily determined using drop-weight method and rise in the capillary tube. Drop-
weight method is also used to determine the interfacial tension between two miscible liquids easily.
Surface tension of a liquid is mainly depending on the temperature and the nature of bonds between
molecules. So, in the detergent solution surface tension of water was decreased.

After doing this experiment, we were able to conclude that value of surface tension of water by two
methods. The standard value for surface tension of water is 71.27 x 10-3 Nm-1 or 71.27 dyn/cm in
C.G.S. units at 30 °C.

Table 12 :Experimental value

Experimental values
Surface Tension of water by drop weight method (0.0743 ±0.0001) N m-1
Surface Tension of detergent solution (0.0281 ± 0.0001) N m−1
The interfacial Tension between water and oil (0.0223 ±0.0001) N m−1
Surface Tension of water by rise in a capillary (0.0560 ± 0.0004) N m−1
tube

According to above results, surface tension value measured in this experiment is closed to typical
surface tension value of water. Therefore, the experiment was carried out successfully and expected
results were achieved. However, theoretical and experimental values are not exact due to factors
mentioned in the discussion which could have affected the accuracy of the experimental data.
 11 REFERENCES

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