SURFACE TENSION

Aim: To determine the surface tension of water capillary rise method.

Apparatus: Travelling microscope, retort stand, capillary tube, beaker etc.

Principle:
Capillarity i.e., The rise and fall of a liquid in a capillary tube when a capillary tube is dipped in a
liquid. The liquid raises in a capillary tube untill its weight is
balanced by the upward force of surface tension.

Theory:
When a clean capillary tube is placed vertically with its lower
end under water, there will be rise of water into the tube due to
surface tension acting tangentially at every point all along the line of
contact.
If 'h' is the height of the water column in the tube
measured upto the bottom of the meniscus and 'r' is the radius of the
capillary tube. When the liquid is in equilibrium ,

r
2 r T cos = r 2 h dg
3
where d is the density of water and
is the angle of contact of water with glass (for pure
water and glass =0 0 )
r
h drg
T = surface tension of water = 3
2

Description:
A capillary tube AB is clamped vertically to a retort stand. It's lower end is dipped in a
beaker of water. One or two drops of red ink is added to water. So that the level of water in the
tube can be clearly seen. The rise in level of water can be measured using a travelling
microscope M. A pin CDE bent twice is fixed to the tube by means of rubber bands.

Procedure:
Determination of 'h':

The length of one division on main scale and total no.of vernier scale divisions on verniar sclae
are noted to calculate the least count of travelling microscope.The microscope is focused on the meniscus.
And see that horizontal cross wires was just tangential to the meniscus.The reading R1 is noted. The water
beaker was removed with care and by adjusting the height of the microscope. The horizontal cross wire
appears to just touch the tip of the bent pin. The second reading R2 was noted. The capillary ascent of
liquid in tube is
h=(R1-R2) cm

Determination of 'r':

The capillary tube is clamped horizontally. The microscope is focussed on

one end of the capillary tube. Then two concentric circles are observed. The
microscope is moved until the vertical cross wire is tangential to the inner circle
on the left side and microscope reading R3 is noted. The microscope is moved so
that the vertical cross wire is again tangential to the inner circle on the right side.
 And reading 'R4' is noted. The difference between R3 and R4 is equal to the horizontal diameter of the
capillary bore similary the vertical diameter of the bore is measured. The average diameter of the
capillary bore and the radius of the bore (r) are calculated. From the given equation the surface tansion of
the water is determined.
R 4 R 3
The radius of the tube r = cm
2

r
h drg
T= 3 dyne.cm-1
2
where d is density of water.

Observations:

The length of 1 division on the main scale = 0.05 cm

Total number of divisions on the vernier = N = 50
1M.S.D. 0.05
Least count of the microscope, L.C.= = =0.001 cm
N 50
The average radius of the capillary tube r = ................................... cm
Density of water at room temperature d=...................................... gm/cc
Average ascent of water in the tube, h = ................................... cm
Surface tension of water, T = ................................. dyne.cm-1

Table for determination heigh(h) :

S.NO. Reading of the bottom of the meniscus Reading of the bottom of the meniscus in Height of the
in capillary tube beaker capillary rise(h)
=
MSR b=V.C x L.C Total reading MSR a b=V.C x L.C Total reading
R1 R2 cm
a R1 = a+b (cm) R2 =a+b (cm)

Height of rise of liquid in capilllary tube is = ........cm

Table for determination diameter(d):

S.No. Reading on the left edge Reading on the right edge Diameter (d) =
R4 R3 cm
MSR b=V.C x L.C Total reading R3 MSR a b=V.C x L.C Total reading R4
a = a+b (cm) =a+b (cm)

Diameter of capillary tube bore is = ......... cm

Radius of capillary tube bore is(r) = d/2 = ........ cm
Precautions:
(1) The bore of the capillary tube should be perfectly clean.
(2) The bore of the tube should be uniform.
(3) The tube should be clamped vertically.
(4) Readings should be taken without parallax error.
(5) The horizontal position of the microscope should not be disturbed during the experiment.

Result:
The surface tension of water is T = ......................................... dyne.cm-1