Explain why the surface tension of water is greater than that of methylated spirit?
Hydrogen bonding has a great effect on cohesive forces on molecules.
Becuase surface tension of water is less dense than of methylated spirit
COS surface of the tension of water is lower than that of methylated spirit UNDERSTOOD.
The surface tension of a liquid can be defined as the measure of the force that tends to pull its surface molecules together. It is caused by the cohesive forces between the liquid molecules at the surface.
Now, let's compare water and methylated spirit to understand why the surface tension of water is greater.
Water molecules have a polar nature, meaning they have a slightly positive charge on one end (hydrogen) and a slightly negative charge on the other end (oxygen). This polarity allows water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with each other, which are relatively strong intermolecular forces. These hydrogen bonds create a strong cohesive force that pulls water molecules together at the surface, resulting in a higher surface tension.
On the other hand, methylated spirit (commonly a mixture of ethanol and methanol) has molecules that are nonpolar or only slightly polar. This means that the intermolecular forces, such as Van der Waals forces, between the molecules of methylated spirit are weaker compared to the hydrogen bonds in water. As a result, there is less cohesion between the molecules of methylated spirit at the surface, leading to a lower surface tension.
To know the exact values and compare the surface tension of water and methylated spirit, you can conduct an experiment using the capillary rise method or use reference tables that provide the known surface tension values for different liquids.