explain 2 factors affecting surface tension
http://www.cscscientific.com/csc-cientific-blog/bid/85407/what-are-the-primary-conditions-affecting-surface-tension
Surface tension is the force that acts on the surface of a liquid, causing it to behave as if it were covered by a stretched elastic sheet. There are several factors that can affect the surface tension of a liquid, but I will explain two of the most significant ones:
1. Nature of the liquid: The nature of the liquid itself plays a crucial role in determining its surface tension. The intermolecular forces between the liquid molecules contribute to surface tension. For example, liquids with strong intermolecular forces, such as water, tend to have higher surface tensions. This is because the cohesive forces between water molecules at the surface are stronger, causing the surface to resist being stretched or broken. On the other hand, liquids with weaker intermolecular forces, like alcohol, have lower surface tensions.
2. Temperature: The temperature of a liquid has a direct effect on its surface tension. In general, as the temperature of a liquid increases, its surface tension decreases. This can be explained by the change in the speed and energy of the particles in the liquid. As the temperature rises, the molecular motion becomes more vigorous, leading to increased internal energy. This increased energy disrupts the cohesive forces at the surface, making it easier to stretch or break the surface, resulting in a decrease in surface tension.
To measure the effect of these factors on surface tension, you can perform experiments. For example, to study the impact of temperature, you can take a liquid (such as water) and measure its surface tension at different temperatures using a capillary rise method or by using a tensiometer. You would observe that as the temperature increases, the surface tension of the liquid decreases. Similarly, to investigate the effect of the nature of the liquid, you can compare the surface tensions of different liquids using the same method.