EXPERIMENT 7

DETERMINATION OF THE
SURFACETENSION OF MERCURY AND
THE ANGLE OF CONTACT BY QUINCKE’S
METHOD

Tuhin Shaikh
STUDENT ID :18201005
PHY 116: PHYSICS LAB 1

APRIL 5, 2023
THEORY:
The given scenario involves a flat drop of mercury on a clean glass plate, divided into two halves by a
vertical plane AB. A thin slice is cut from one half of the drop by two parallel and vertical planes CD
and EF, which are perpendicular to the plane AB and a distance of δ apart. A horizontal plane HKL is
drawn through the point H, where the surface is vertical. The hydrostatic pressure exerted by the
liquid on the right side of the vertical plane FL varies from zero at point F to ρhg at point K, where ρ
is the density of mercury and g is the acceleration due to gravity. The average pressure exerted on the
plane FL is ρgh/2, where h is the distance FK. The total force acting on the plane FL from right to left
is ρh2gδ/2. The surface tension of a liquid can be expressed as... (the rest of the sentence is missing or
not provided)

.T= ½ h2 ρ g

Where,T- Surface tension of mercury in N/m ρ= Density of mercury =

13.6* 103 kg/m3 g- Acceleration due to gravity = 980 cm/s2 h- Distance
between the top surface and the bulging point of Mercury drop

If Θ be the angle of contact between the glass plate and the liquid and h’ the total height, it
can be shown that,
Sin Θ/2 = h’/√(2h)

APPARATUS: Plane glass plate with leveling screws, traveling microscope, thermometer,
spirit level , reading lens, wooden block.

PROCEDURES:

1) Clean and level the glass plate

2) Place a large quantity of mercury over the glass plate to form a mercury drop.
3) Focus the microscope on the mercury drop such that the vertical cross wire is tangential to
the side of the drop and the horizontal cross wire passes through the most protruding point
of the drop and note the position of the microscope.
4) Move the microscope upward so that it is on the top surface of the drop. Adjust the
microscope such that the horizontal crosswire coincides with the top surface and not the
position of the microscope.
5) Change the size of the drop and repeat the same procedure at least three times.
TABLE:

TABLE OF THE UPPER SCALE AND LOWER SCALE

Upper Surface Lower Surface

No of M.S V.S Total Mean M.S V.S Total Mean H

obs

1 63 0.45 63.45 60 0.4 60.4

2 63 0.44 63..44 63.45 60 0.3 60.3 60.34 0.311

3 63 0.38 63//38 60 0.32 60.32

TABLE OF THE EDGES

EDGE 1 EDGE 2

No of M.S V.S Total Mean M.S V.S Total Mean H

obs

1 61 0.08 61.08 61 0.05 61.05

2 61 0.30 61.30 61.10 61 0.38 61.38 61.08 0.236

3 60.5 0.42 63.92 60.5 0.31 60.81

CALCULATION AND RESULT :
T= ½ h2 ρ g
= ½ * (0.311)2* 13.6 * 980
= 6.445*102 dyne/cm

Sin Θ/2 = 1/√2 (h’/h)

= 1/√2 * (0.311/0.236)

Θ/2 = Sin -1 [1/√2 *(0.311/0.236)]

Thus , Θ = 137.44
The surface tension of the mercury is thus 6.445*102 dyne/cm and the angle between the glass
plate and the liquid is 137.44

DISCUSSION:

● Mercury should be clean and dry.

● Have to be careful weather mercury doesn’t go inside stomach
● The glass plate should be perfectly level