Lab # 42: MEASUREMENT OF THE ABSOLUTE

COEFFICIENT OF LIQUID TENSION

ATTENTION!!! FIRST COMPLETE THE EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES AND THEN
START CALCULATIONS!

I. Measurement of the absolute coefficient of liquid tension with the drop

method

A drop of liquid falls from the capillary tube when its weight balances the surface tension
force.

m  g  2   k  r  (1)
where:
m – mass of a drop
 N
g – acceleration of gravity 9,81 
 kg 
k – empirical coefficient; k = 0,6
r – external radius of the capillary tube
δ – surface tension coefficient

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:

1. Measure the external diameter of the capillary tube (d) and calculate the external
radius of the capillary tube (r).
2. Determine the mass of a dry weighing vessel [small, black plastic container] (m1) with
the accuracy up to 0.001 g.
3. Fill the capillary tube with the tested liquid and place the weighing vessel underneath
the capillary outlet, measuring n = 40 drops of the liquid (distilled water).
4. Determine the weight (m2) of the weighing vessel with the liquid.
5. Calculate the absolute coefficient of surface tension δl of the liquid using the formula:

m2  m1   g
l  (2)
2   k  r  n

Summarize the measurement results in the table:

liquid d r m1 m2 n δl
[m] [m] [kg] [kg] [N/m]

1
 II. Measurement of the relative surface tension coefficient of liquid with
the stalagmometric method

Measurement of the relative surface tension coefficient of liquid boils down to determining
the number of drops of the tested and standard liquid with the same volume. The tank volume
(V) is determined by two levels a and b.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:

1. Fill the stalagmometer with the standard liquid (distilled water) above level a.
2. During the outflow of the liquid calculate the number of drops (nw) for water with the
liquid level falling from a to b.

3. Repeat the measurement for the tested liquid (alcohol), nx – number of drops of the
analyzed liquid in the volume between the levels a and b.
4. Calculate the relative surface tension coefficient (δrel) from the formula:

 x nw  d x
 rel   (3)
 w nx  d w

where:
dx = density of the tested liquid (for alcohol dx = 780 kg/m3)
dw = water density (dw = 1000 kg/m3)

5. Knowing the absolute coefficient of surface tension for water - δw from the previous
experiment, calculate the absolute coefficient of surface tension for alcohol (δx)

 x   w   rel δw results from formula (2) (4)

6. Summarize the measurement results in the table:

Drops no. Liquid density δrel δx

[N/m]
nw nx dw dx
[kg/m3] [kg/m3]

2
 III. Measurement of the absolute coefficient of surface tension with the
bubble method.

According to the law of Laplace, pressure underneath the curved spherical surface (p) is
directly proportional to the surface tension coefficient (δ) and inversely proportional to the
curvature radius (r).

2 
p (5)
r

We will perform the pressure measurement by immersing the capillary tube with the internal
radius (r) in the tested liquid at the depth (h1).
Increasing the pressure inside the capillary tube by heating the air in the bulb, we trigger the
discharge of an air bubble. The pressure (pm) at which the bubble detaches amounts to:

pm  h  d  g (6)

where:
h – difference of liquid levels in the C-tube
d – density of liquid in manometer (distilled water)
g – acceleration of gravity [N/kg]

The detaching air bubble must overcome hydrostatic pressure (ph) of the column of liquid
with height h1.

p h  h1  d1  g (7)
where d1 – density of the tested liquid.

Eventually, the air bubble detaches under pressure (p)

p  h  d  g  h1  d1  g (8)

The value of surface tension coefficient is calculated from the formula:

rg
 h  d  h1  d1  (9)
2

3
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:
1. The vessel with the tested liquid (distilled water) is underneath the capillary tube.
2. Move the end of the capillary tube until it touches the surface of the liquid. Lower the
capillary below the liquid level by 1 cm (h1 = 1 cm).
3. Read the level of water (hI) in the right manometer tube with the tap (K) opened.
Read the bottom position of the water meniscus in the manometer.
4. Turn off the tap (so that the heated air goes through the tube connecting the heater
with the capillary) and plug in the heater through the autotransformer (button P).
5. Read the level of water (hII) in the manometer at the uniform outflow of bubbles.
6. After completing the measurements open the tap (K) and turn off the transformer.
7. Calculate the absolute value (h) using the formula:


h  2  h II  h I  (10)

8. Calculate the absolute coefficient of surface tension (δ) using the formula (9).
9. Summarize the measurement results in the tables:

liquid r hI hII h
[m] [cm] [m] [cm] [m] [m]

d h1 d1 δ
[kg/m3] [m] [kg/m3] [N/m]

where:
r = 4,72 * 10-4
d = 103 kg/m3
d1 = 103 kg/m3

The report should include:

1. In the header of the report: student’s name and surname, program of study (6MD,
5DMD or MDA), Dean’s group number, experiment date, lab number and title.
2. Measurement tables.
3. Formulas, substitutions, calculation results.
4. Results given in SI units.
5. Conclusions.