Factors Affecting Surface Tension
a. Temperature
b. Presence of Impurities
c. Electrification
d. Contamination
MODULE 3 : HYDRODYNAMICS
TEMEPRATURE
As temperature of the liquid increases, the average
Kinetic energy of the molecules increases and the
attractive forces decreases thereby decreasing the
surface tension.
T
TEMPERATURE TEMP SURFACE
COHESION TENSION
SURAFCE TENSION
HEAT
For small temperature differences, the
variation in surface tension with temperature
is linear and is given by the relation,
Tt = To ( 1- a t )
where Tt , To are the surface tensions at to C
and 0oC respectively and a is the temperature
coefficient of surface tension.
ADDITION OF IMPURITIES
Depending upon the nature of impurity, surface
tension may increase or decrease.
Highly soluble impurity e.g. : Salt
Surface tension increases
Sparingly soluble impurity e.g. : Soap
Surface tension decreases
SALT ( Na + Cl – )
NaCl which is ionic in nature gets
dissolved in water because the
covalent bonds in water are
stronger than the ionic bond in salt.
The positively charged Na + anions
are attracted to the O- ions and the
negatively charged Cl- cations are
attracted to H+ ions.
The water molecules pulls the
Na and Cl ions apart, breaking
the bond and surrounds the Na
and Cl ions, thereby
dissolving the salt.
Since the salt solution is more
ionic, attractive forces are
more and as a result, surface
tension also increases.
SOAP
Soap or detergents has a polar and non –polar
part . The non-polar part is hydrophobic and has a
tendency to move away from water molecules and
they push themselves up to the surface.
As a result there is a weakening of the Hydrogen
bonds holding the water molecules together at
surface and as a result, the surface tension of water
is reduced.
Substances that reduce surface tension are called
Surfactants.
Experiment :
You need a dropper and a coin to do
this experiment.
Fill the dropper with some filtered
water and add drops of water on the
coin carefully, one drop at a time
such that each drop has to fall a
short distance before it merges with
the drop on the coin.
Keep adding and
counting the drops until
the liquid spills over the
edges of the coin.
Now repeat the
experiment for salt
water and soap water .
What do you observe
about the number of
drops in the case of
three different
solutions ?
ELECTRIFICATION
When electricity is passed through a liquids, the bonds in the
liquid gets broken and the surface tension decreases.
CONTAMINATION
When substances like oil or grease are added to liquids, they
reduce the surface tension of liquids.
Applications of Surface Tension:
Detergents are added to water to
reduce its surface tension for
cleaning purposes.
DETERGENT
Since the increase in temperature
reduces surface tension, warm
water is more efficient in washing
clothes.
Surface tension prevents
water from passing
through pore of umbrella
or a tent.
Water striders ( insects)
can walk on the water
due to the surface
tension of water.
THANKS FOR LISTENING
CHEERS,
Elizebeth
