 AIM- To determine the surface tension of a liquid at laboratory temperature.

 REQUIREMENTS- 1. Stalagmometer 2. Pyknometer 3. Weight box

4. Beakers 5. Supplied solutions

 THEORY-
 Surface tension is a property of liquids which arises from the intermolecular forces
of attraction.
 A molecule in the interior of liquid, as shown in the figure, is
attracted equally in all directions by the adjoining molecules. But a molecule
on the surface is attracted by molecules of same liquid in the downward dir-
-ection and gaseous molecules on the upper side. Since the attractive force
Of liquid-liquid interaction is higher than liquid-gaseous interaction, a net
downward force is obtained.
 The liquid surface is therefore, under tension and tends to contract in order
to have minimum molecules at the surface, which gives rise to SURFACE TENSION.
 It is for this reason that in air, drops of a liquid assume spherical shapes as for a
given volume, a sphere has minimum surface area.

Definition- The surface tension (γ) is defined as force in dynes acting along the surface of a
liquid acting at right angle to any line 1cm length along the surface of the liquid.
Units- (a) CGS- dyne cm-1 (b) SI- Nm-1

Measurement of Surface tension-

Surface tension gives a definite shape to the drop of liquid. More is the surface tension,
larger is the drop size. This principle is used in stalagmometer.
Stalagmometer is an apparatus with a bulb and capillary. Liquid is filled in the bulb
and allowed to fall dropwise through the capillary.
If the surface tension is high, larger drops are produced and number of drops are less for a
given volume. Thus more the number of drops, less is the surface tension.
The measurement of surface tension (γ) of a liquid is based on the fact that the drop of a
liquid at the lower end of capillary falls down when weight of drop becomes just equal to the
surface tension. The force of gravity (weight of drop) to pull the drop downward v.d.g
(where v is the volume and d is the density of the drop of liquid) is balanced by the force
2πγr (r is the radius of capillary) tending to uphold the drop:

If n is the number of drops in volume of V of the liquid, then the volume of each drop,

Measurement of relative surface tension:

are the number of drops counted in the same volume (V) of unknown
 liquid and water, respectively, using the same capillary, then we have

Measurement of Relative density of Relative density bottle or Pyknometer-:

 METHODOLOGY-
1. The stalagmometer was cleaned and rinsed with acetone to ensure dry conditions. Now
distilled water was sucked though it up to the mark as shown in the figure, the help of
rubber tube.
2. The water column was allowed to fall down up to the lower mark as shown. The
Rate of water descending was set approximately to 12-20 drops per minute (as at this
rate liquids show laminar flow), using the adjustment knob on the rubber tube of
the stalagmometer.
3. The number of drops falling from the upper mark to lower mark was noted and repeated
readings were taken till concordant readings were obtained.
4. The stalagmometer was again rinsed with the provided liquid in the laboratory and the
process of drop-counting was repeated until concordant readings were obtained.
 5. To determine the relative density of the liquid, weight of an empty pyknometer was
taken (m1). Then weight of the pyknometer filled with distilled water (m2) and supplied
liquid (m3) were taken separately.

 OBSERVATIONS-
(a) Laboratory temperature- 30oC

 CALCULATIONS-
Given = 72.75 dyne/cm at 20 C o

 Relative density of liquid-

dl m3−m1
= =
dw m2−m1

So, Surface tension of liquid ( )

=
 RESULT-
The relative surface tension of supplied liquid at laboratory temperature 30oC was found to
be

 SOME ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS-

1. With decrese