Skip to main content
Chemistry LibreTexts

13.6: Surface Tension

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
  • Page ID
    53805

    • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

     This insect is able to stand on water because of surface tension
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\) (Credit: Gordon Wrigley; Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tolomea/5510378168/(opens in new window); License: CC ​​​​​​​by 2.0(opens in new window))

    How is this insect able to stand on water?

    The next time you are by a still body of water, take a close look at the creatures scooting along on the surface. You may see insects seemingly floating on top of the water. These creatures are known by a variety of names including water skaters, water striders, and pond skaters. They take advantage of a property called surface tension to stay above the water and not sink. The force they exert downward is less than the forces exerted among the water molecules on the surface of the pond, so the insect does not penetrate the surface of the water.

    Surface Tension

    Molecules within a liquid are pulled equally in all directions by intermolecular forces. However, molecules at the surface are pulled downwards and sideways by other liquid molecules, but not upwards away from the surface. The overall effect is that the surface molecules are pulled into the liquid, creating a surface that is tightened like a film (see A in the figure below). The surface tension of a liquid is a measure of the elastic force within the liquid's surface. Liquids that have strong intermolecular forces, like the hydrogen bonding in water, exhibit the greatest surface tension. Surface tension allows objects that are denser than water, such as the paper clip shown in B in the figure below, to nonetheless float on its surface. It is also responsible for the beading up of water droplets on a freshly waxed car because there are no attractions between the polar water molecules and the nonpolar wax.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): (A) Molecules at the surface of a liquid are pulled downwards into the liquid, creating a tightened surface. (B) Surface tension allows a paper clip to float on water's surface. (Credit: (A) User: Füsiahh/Wikimedia Commons; (B) User: Kaldari/Wikimedia Commons; Source: (A) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wassermolek%25C3%25BCleInTr%25C3%25B6pfchen-2.svg(opens in new window); (B) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_surface_tension_2.jpg(opens in new window); License: Public Domain)

    Other liquids, such as diethyl ether, do not demonstrate strong surface tension interactions. The intermolecular forces for the ether are relatively weak dipole-dipole interactions that do not draw the molecules together as tightly as hydrogen bonds would.

    Science Friday: Candy Corn in Space

    Candy corn is a very tasty treat. In this video by Science Friday, astronaut Don Pettit uses Candy Corn to demonstrate the effects of hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions.

    Summary

    • The surface tension of a liquid is a measure of the elastic force in the liquid’s surface.
    • Liquids with strong intermolecular forces have higher surface tensions than liquids with weaker forces.

    Review

    1. Define surface tension.
    2. What is responsible for the strong surface tension in water?
    3. Does diethyl ether have a stronger or weaker surface tension than water?

    This page titled 13.6: Surface Tension is shared under a CK-12 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by CK-12 Foundation via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.

    CK-12 Foundation
    LICENSED UNDER
    CK-12 Foundation is licensed under CK-12 Curriculum Materials License