Surface Tension

Surface tension is the property of water in which...

• water molecules at the surface tend to stick together.

• water spills easily.

• water tends to be see-through.

• water tends to push up into a dome over a container before it finally spills.

Because of surface tension, you can put things into a full glass of water and...

• the water will immediately spill.

• the water won't spill for quite a while.

• the water will never spill.

• when the water spills, whatever you put in will also spill.

Surface tension is the property of water in which...

• water molecules at the surface tend to stick together.

• water spills easily.

• water tends to be see-through.

surface tension of water can be reduced by

• heating

• Adding soap solution

• cooling

• adding salt

Water striders can walk across the surface of calm water. Their feet push the surface of the water down slightly, but they do not break the surface. Why?

• The insects are light enough so they do not break the surface tension

• The insects actually use their wings to hover slightly above the water’s surface and they only skim it with their feet.

• The insect’s feet are hydrophobic, so they are repelled by the water molecules and are pushed away from the water’s surface.

• The insects are small enough to see the individual water molecules, so they are able to step carefully from one molecule to the next

surface tension of liquid is independent of

• temperature of liquid
• area of liquid
• nature of liquid
• impurities present in liquidpurities