Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program

Surface Tension

ADDPMP449

Surface tension is the tendency of liquid surfaces to shrink into the minimum surface area possible. Surface tension allows insects, to float and slide on a water surface without becoming even partly submerged. At liquid–air interfaces, surface tension results from the greater attraction of liquid molecules to each other (due to cohesion) than to the molecules in the air (due to adhesion).

There are two primary mechanisms in play. One is an inward force on the surface molecules causing the liquid to contract. Second is a tangential force parallel to the surface of the liquid. The net effect is the liquid behaves as if its surface were covered with a stretched elastic membrane.

Because of the relatively high attraction of water molecules to each other through a web of hydrogen bonds, water has a higher surface tension (72.8 millinewtons (mN) per meter at 20 °C) than most other liquids. Surface tension is an important factor in the phenomenon of capillarity.

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 of area, it is common to use the term surface energy, which is a more general term in the sense that it applies also to solids.

In materials science, surface tension is used for either surface stress or surface energy.

Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
Surface Tension - © Attention Deficit Disorder Prosthetic Memory Program
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