Fluid Mechanics-Surface Tension Experiment

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................3
2. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP...................................................................................................3
3. EXPERIMENTAL METHODOLOGY...............................................................................3
4. THEORY..................................................................................................................................4
5. RESULTS................................................................................................................................5
6. CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................6
7. REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................7
1. INTRODUCTION
It is common for us to see some small insects that are able to walk on the surface of the
water. Have you ever thought how insects can walk on the water. Do you know that it is all about
the surface tension.
In this experiment we will experience how surface tension occurs, how can we measure it
and which properties change the surface tension and contact angle between fluid and glass.
2. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
Water and Ethanol (ethyl alcohol): In order to compare surface tension and contact angle
between glass and liquid, we use two different kind liquid. That are water and ethanol in our
experiment.
Pipes: Three different pipe with respect to their diameters are used in the experiment.
Magnifying Glass: Pipes are very small and height of the water and ethanol in the pipe are very
low. So in order to see the values of height of each liquid on the pipes, we use magnifying glass.
We also read the levels of height by the help of a ruler
3. EXPERIMENTAL METHODOLOGY
In our experiment we have to calculate surface tension and contact angle. We used
capillary-tube method to observe surface tension and contact angle between glass and liquid.
We first made our experiment with water with using three different diameter of pipe to see
the capillary effect and relation between diameter and surface tension. Then we repeated our
experiment with a different liquid which is ethanol. We used different type of liquids for
observing the relation between density and surface tension. We read values of the liquids’ heights
from ruler by the help of magnifying glass .
Figure 1 The Capillary Effect on the Tube
4. THEORY
Surface Tension: Liquid droplets behave like small spherical balloons filled with the liquid, and
the surface of the liquid acts like a stretched elastic membrane under tension. The pulling force
that causes this tension acts parallel to the surface and is due to the attractive forces
between the molecules of the liquid. The magnitude of this force per unit length is called surface
tension σs and is usually expressed in the unit N/m. This effect is also called surface energy and
is expressed in the equivalent unit of N.m/m2 or J/m2. In this case, σs represents the stretching
work that needs to be done to increase the surface area of the liquid by a unit amount of volüme.
[1]
Contact Angle: The strength of the capillary effect is quantified by the contact angle θ defined
as the angle that the tangent to the liquid surface makes with the solid surface at the point of
contact. The surface tension force acts along this line.[1]
Wetting Fluid: If the contact angle of liquid is smaller than 90º this type of liquids are called
wetting liquids.
Non-wetting Fluid: If the contact angle of liquid is bigger than 90º this type of liquids are called
non-wetting liquids.
Meniscus: Probably the most important effect of surface tension is the creation of a curved
meniscus[2]. It is curved phase boundary and it changes in terms of liquid type.
Surface Tension and Contact Angle at Room Temperature:
Liquid Surface Tension Contact Angle

(N/m) (degrees)
Water 0,0728 147
Ethanol 0,0223 29
[2]
𝝈𝒔 = 𝒉p𝒈𝑹 / 𝟐𝒄𝒐𝒔(𝜱)
where;
p: Density of the liquid (kg/m3)
h: Capillary rise (m)
R: Capillary tube radius (m)
Φ: Contact angle between liquid and glass
5. RESULTS
g=9.81 m/s2
σsurf. = (h*p*g*R) / (2*cosθ)
%Error = │Estimated value – Accepted value│ / (Accepted value)
Water in the pipe with biggest diameter;
tan-1(R / Δh) = θ = 1.55rad [R=4 Δh=0.08]
σs = (4*10-3 * 1000 * 9.81 * 0.08*10-3) / (2*cos1.55) = 1.18 N/m
Calculations for water;
R(mm) H(mm) Δh(mm) p(kg/m^3) θ (rad) σs (N/m)

4 1,2 0,08 1000 1,550798993 1,177435416
1,9 1,5 0,2 1000 1,465919388 0,133536598
1,45 6,2 0,9 1000 1,015302592 0,083615956
%Error
1517,356341
83,42939303
14,85708282
Ethyl alcohol in the pipe with biggest diameter;
pethyl alc. =789 kg/m3
tan-1(R / Δh) = θ = 1.56 rad [R=4 Δh=0.05]
σs = (3.24*10-3 m * 789 kg/m3 * 9,81 m/s2 *4*10-3 m) / 2cos (1.56) = 4.01 N/m
Calculations for ethyl alcohol;
R(mm) H(mm) Δh(mm) p(kg/m^3) θ (rad) σs (N/m)

4 3,24 0,05 789 1,558296978 4,012776117
1,9 3,3 0,16 789 1,486784015 0,289168925
1,45 3,45 0,16 789 1,460896108 0,176513995
%Error
17894,51174
1196,721637
691,5425805
6. CONCLUSION
As a consequence, because of the experimental mistakes we have found; we can say that
results show very low accuracy and errors in the calculation part we saw are very high. These
errors occured while reading value from ruler by magnifying glass during the experiment.
Although there were big errors in the calculation part, we have learned how to measure the
surface tension and how surface tension and contact angle change in terms of density of the liquid
and the diameter of pipes we used in the experiment. To give a detail of what we have learned
from this experiment is if we the density of the liquid increases, the contact angle and the surface
tension will increase as well. Not only the density but also the diameter size of the tube we used
in experiment is related with surface tension and contact angle. We have seen from our
calculations that if the diameter of the pipe decreases, the surface tension and the contact angle
starts to decrease. So we can clearly say that the density and diameter of the pipe are proportional
to the surface tension.
7. REFERENCES
[1] Fluid mechanics : fundamentals and applications / Yunus A. Çengel, John M. Cimbala.—1st
ed.
[2] Fox, R. W., McDonald, A. T. and Pritchard, P. J., 2012, “Fluid Mechanics,” John Wiley &
Sons ( Asia ) Pte Ltd, ed. 8

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Surface Tension and Contact Angle at Room Temperature:

Liquid Surface Tension Contact Angle

Water 0,0728 147

%Error = │Estimated value – Accepted value│ / (Accepted value)

Water in the pipe with biggest diameter;

tan-1(R / Δh) = θ = 1.55rad [R=4 Δh=0.08]

σs = (410-3 1000 * 9.81 * 0.0810-3) / (2cos1.55) = 1.18 N/m

Calculations for water;

R(mm) H(mm) Δh(mm) p(kg/m^3) θ (rad) σs (N/m)

Ethyl alcohol in the pipe with biggest diameter;

pethyl alc. =789 kg/m3

tan-1(R / Δh) = θ = 1.56 rad [R=4 Δh=0.05]

Calculations for ethyl alcohol;

R(mm) H(mm) Δh(mm) p(kg/m^3) θ (rad) σs (N/m)

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