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4. The surface tension for water at 20 °C is 72.8 mN/m and at 100 °C the surface tension is 58.9 mN/m. Provide an explanation
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Answer :

To understand the phenomenon "Surface tension" let, us consider :

A liquid contact with its vapor. A molecule P is present somewhere in the body of the liquid, which is subjected to the forces of attraction from all directions by the surrounding molecule and is particularly in a uniform field of forces. But, for a molecule at the surface (R) , the net attraction towards the bulk of liquid is much greater than that towards the vapor, where the attracting molecules are more widely dispersed. That means the molecules at the surface are pulled inwards. As a result of the tendency to contract, surface of a liquid behaves like as, if it is in a state of tension. The force that tends to contract the surface of a liquid is known as surface tension.

It is expressed as the force per unit length acting at the right angles to the line along the surface of the liquid.

Given, the surface tension for water at 20°C is 72.8 mN/m and at 100°C the surface tension is 58.9 mN/m.

Explanation :

According to Kinetic Theory, the molecular kinetic energy is proportional to absolute temperature. The rise in temperature of a liquid, therefore, is accompanied by increase in energy of it's molecule.

Hence, with increasing the temperature, the kinetic energy of molecules also increases which leads to the decrease in the intermolecular forces of attraction . So, the surface tension of a liquid will decrease with the rise of temperature.

Thus, when we increase the temperature of the water from 20°C to 100°C , the water molecules gains more kinetic energy, which decrease the strength of the H-bonding in water. Thus, the surface tension of water also decreases from 72.8 mN/m to 58.9 mN/m.

If we rise the temperature of a liquid to the critical temperature , then the surface of separation between a liquid and it's vapor disappears, thus, the surface tension becomes zero.

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