OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

CBEE
CHE 331
Transport Phenomena I

Dr. Goran Jovanovic

Surface Tension Forces I

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CHE 331
Fall 2015

Surface Tension
There are two kinds of surface forces that create most of the liquid
surface phenomena.

The cohesive forces are attractive forces among alike liquid

molecules. The cohesive forces are responsible for the
phenomenon known as Surface Tension ( ).
The adhesive forces are attractive forces among unlike
molecules. The relative strength between adhesive and
cohesive forces gives rise to hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of
a given liquid on a particular solid surface.

CHE 331
Fall 2015

For example the adhesive forces between water molecules and the
walls of a glass tube are stronger than the cohesive forces of water
molecules. This creates a water meniscus at the walls of the vessel
and contributes to capillary action.

Cohesion Forces and Surface Tension

The cohesive forces between molecules inside a liquid are shared
with all neighboring atoms.

Atoms on the surface have less neighbors of its own kind. They
exhibit stronger attractive forces upon their nearest atoms on the
surface. This enhancement of the intermolecular attractive forces at
the surface contributes to interface pressure difference.
CHE 331
Fall 2015

Cohesion Forces and Surface Tension

Consider a neighborhood of molecules on a flat surface:

Fs

Fs

If we would like to tear (rupture) this surface along a line l we would

have to apply a force Fs. The Surface Tension is defined as:

CHE 331
Fall 2015

FS N
=
l m

Cohesion Forces and Surface Tension

If the surface is curved the surface tension forces give rise to
interface pressure difference.
But first consider the concept of curvature. The curvature of a line
at a given point, A, is defined as:

1
=
R
RB

A
RA
B
CHE 331
Fall 2015

Cohesion Forces and Surface Tension

Similarly, for curved surfaces there are two characteristic
radii that define the curvature of the surface at a given
point.

CHE 331
Fall 2015

Cohesion Forces and Surface Tension

Now, consider a differential element of the surface : ds1 ds2

CHE 331
Fall 2015

Cohesion Forces and Surface Tension

CHE 331
Fall 2015

The following relationships are well known

in trigonometry:
ds1 = R1d1 andds2 = R2 d 2
1
1
1
1
sin d1 d1 andsin d 2 d 2
2
2
2
2

CHE 331
Fall 2015

Cohesion Forces and Surface Tension

dF2,n = dF2 sin d1

2

dF2,n = ds2 d1
2

dF2

1
d1
2

dF2,t
CHE 331
Fall 2015

dF2,n

1 ds1
dF2,n = ds2
2 R
1

ds2 ds1
dFn2 = 2 dF2,n =
R1

Cohesion Forces and Surface Tension

Similarly for the force pulling in the other directions we may write:

ds1ds2
dFn1 = 2 dF1,n =
R2
Finally, the total surface tension force acting on the differential surface area in
the direction of the surface vector n:

ds1ds2 ds2 ds1

dF = dFn1 + dFn2 =
+
R2
R1

CHE 331
Fall 2015

1
1
dF = ds1ds2 +
R1 R2

Po
dF2

dF

Pi
Po ds1ds2 + dF + Pi ds1ds2 = 0

( Po Pi ) ds1ds2 = dF
1
1
( Po Pi ) ds1ds2 = R + R ds1ds2
1
2

CHE 331
Fall 2015

1
1
P = +
R1 R2

Liquid Rise in a Capillary

A narrow capillary tube is dipped into a liquid that wets the tube. We observe
that the liquid rises in the tube, above the level of the free surface. We want
to derive a mathematical model that relates the height of capillary rise 'h' to
the surface tension ' and the inner diameter of the capillary Dc. This model
will suggest the method for measuring the surface tension.

CHE 331
Fall 2015

Patm P + gh = P1 = Patm
P = gh
1
1
+ = ghandifR1 = R2
R1 R2
2 4
4
=
= gh h =
R
Dc
gDc
Also =

F
FS
CHE 331
Fall 2015

Patm
Pinside

h gDc
4