The meniscus can be either concave or convex, depending on the surface tension of the liquid and its adhesion to the wall of the container. It has to be a polar material. The meniscus is the curving of water at the surface due to its surface tension, the attraction of molecules for each other. (credit a: modification of work by Scott Bauer; credit b: modification of work by David Nagy). That is called a convex meniscus (it vertex is at the top). to take a glass tube, a thin glass tube this time. Why does mercury have a convex meniscus while water is concave? In physics, the term "meniscus" can either apply to the boundary between a liquid and its container or to a type of lens used in optics. 29,306 views Apr 3, 2014 Meniscus and wetting are caused by surface tension. When your finger is pricked, a drop of blood forms and holds together due to surface tensionthe unbalanced intermolecular attractions at the surface of the drop. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. In fact, if you took a why it is going to be more attracted to the glass than itself, because glass actually has, the molecules in glass In general, the shape of the surface of a liquid can be complex. This phenomenon is important in transpirational pull in plants. For water, adhesive force is stronger than the cohesive forces, sticking more strongly to the capillary wall than other water molecules, hence as the tube is thinner, the higher the level. actually are quite polar. When reading a depth scale on the side of an instrument filled with liquid, such as a water level device, the meniscus must be taken into account in order to obtain an accurate measurement. If you place one end of a paper towel in spilled wine, as shown in Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\), the liquid wicks up the paper towel. And just to be clear what's The strong cohesive forces within the mercury pull it together forming a convex shaped meniscus. Meniscus Concave and Convex Meniscus. Why is the meniscus of water concave and of? Mercury shows a convex meniscus (the centre is higher than the edges), because internal cohesive forces are stronger than the force between the glass wall and the metal. This is typically done with a Wilhelmy plate.[2]. And so you can imagine all of a sudden, maybe this, let me see, Maybe a moment ago it was right over here but it popped up here. So let's say that this C036/3355. Capillaries are our But let's say you were Depth must be measured with the meniscus at eye level (to eliminate parallax error) and at the center of the meniscus, i.e. Eventually the force of gravity balances out the forces pulling the water upwards and it stops. If the cohesive forces between molecules of a liquid are stronger than
(credit: modification of work by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). A concave meniscus, which is what you normally will see, occurs when the molecules of the liquid are attracted to those of the container. Adhesion between the liquid
Well this phenomenon which Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\): Differences in the relative strengths of cohesive and adhesive forces result in different meniscus shapes for mercury (left) and water (right) in glass tubes. As Table \(\PageIndex{1}\) shows, the more structurally complex are the molecules in a liquid and the stronger the IMFs between them, the more difficult it is for them to move past each other and the greater is the viscosity of the liquid. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-meniscus-605883 (accessed May 1, 2023). When mercury is kept in glass meniscus is? The word capillary, it'll And it turns out that the Thus, the meniscus will be of concave shape. In the figure, the capillary rise can be seen, the meniscus is in a concave shape. Exactly! That's why you'll see Property release not required. Little drops of mercury will form into almost spheres when spilled on most surfaces (gravity will bend them out of shape). would call that adhesion. Surface tension is defined as the energy required to increase the surface area of a liquid, or the force required to increase the length of a liquid surface by a given amount. SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. And so the first thing we might ask is what'll we call this thing. London US toll free: 1-844 677 4151, General enquiries: info@sciencephoto.com A meniscus is seen between the air and water in a glass of water. You depend on a constant supply of tears to keep your eyes lubricated and on capillary action to pump tear fluid away. Some features of this website require JavaScript. It means that > 90. expand_more See More 20.1 x 26.7 cm 7.9 x 10.5 in (300dpi . Because of its high cohesion and low adhesion to the glass, mercury does not spread out to cover the bottom of the flask, and if enough is placed in the flask to cover the bottom, it exhibits a strongly convex meniscus, whereas the meniscus of water is concave . All of a sudden for, you know, a very brief moment it This image is not available for purchase in your country. ends at the hydrogens." Water-based fluids like sap, honey, and milk also have a concave meniscus in glass or other wettable containers. But it has some kinetic energy, remember these things are jostling around, they're bouncing around, United Kingdom, Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7432 1100 Measure the meniscus at eye level from the center of the meniscus. not have that polarity. 7.1: Surface Tension, Viscosity, and Capillary Action is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts. So, I fill the water right over here. reason why you also see the water a little bit higher there. You will still see a meniscus but because the salt water disturbs the surface tension of water, the meniscus too will be different -- this is hopefully nto surprising. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. refer to anything from you know, a very, very narrow tube and we also have capillaries Meniscus and Wetting. Property release not required. You should always measure light liquids at the bottom of the meniscus and . The meniscus of water in a glass is highest where the water is in contact with the glass, forming a curve with its low point in the middle. Mercury is more strongly attracted to itself (cohesion) and is convex in meniscus. A small tube has a relatively large surface area for a given volume of blood, which results in larger (relative) attractive forces, allowing the blood to be drawn farther up the tube. Adhesion of water to the walls of the capillary tube will lead to an upward force on the liquid at the edges. 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20192. It does not store any personal data. Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): (a) Honey and (b) motor oil are examples of liquids with high viscosities; they flow slowly. So let's say that's a It all depends on if the molecules of the liquid are more attracted to the outside material or to themselves. A flat meniscus occurs when water in some types of plastic tubes; tubes made out of material that water does not stick to. It stuck to them. In contrast, an articular disk is a structure that completely divides a joint cavity. just jump back down. So this is the glass right over here. Model release not required. Therefore, the meniscus of water is concave. Maybe there's another water molecule that just get knocked in the right way. The water rises up its tube and forms a concave meniscus at top. Direct link to haekele's post Capillary action occurs, , Posted 7 years ago. If you were take that same glass beaker, instead of filling it with water if you filled it with say, mercury. By sharing this link, I acknowledge that I have read and understand Mercury produces a convex meniscus. The water is seen to curve up the edge of the glass. 1 Why does mercury have a convex meniscus while water is concave? Water-based fluids like sap, honey, and milk also have a concave meniscus in glass or other wettable containers. It forms a shape that In contrast, water exhibits a concave meniscus, because the attraction between the wall and the water is stronger than the waters internal cohesion. How to Read a Meniscus in Chemistry. Mercury has very small adhesive forces with most container materials, and strong cohesive forces. Ans: Because cohesive force between molecules of mercury is greater than the adhesive force between mercury and glass molecules. And so let me just label this. Conversely, a concave meniscus occurs when the molecules of the liquid attract those of the container's, causing the surface of the liquid to cave downwards. Powered by SiteManager | Contact Webmaster. I am telling you that." Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The tube experiences a downward force of magnitude 2r, where is the surface tension of the liquid. But a more interesting question is why does it actually happen. Conversely, a convex meniscus occurs when the particles in the liquid have a stronger attraction to each other than to the material of the container. 8 Why does Mercury have no attraction to water? Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. A balance of forces. hydrogen bonding to form and that's what kind of gives water all of these special properties. In liquids such as water, the meniscus is concave; in liquids such as mercury, however, which have very strong cohesive forces and weak adhesion to glass, the meniscus is convex (Figure 11.4. that looks like this where there's a bulge near the center when you're further electronegativity difference between the silicon and 3-18). 3 When mercury is kept in glass meniscus is? As the raindrop falls, it loses that rounded shape. GB 340 7410 88. And that's what capillary action is and it's not just some neat parlor trick, we actually probably use capillary action in our every day lives all the time. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. A meniscus lens is a convex-concave lens in which one face curves outward, while the other face curves inward. Some liquids, like the element mercury (Hg), form a convex meniscus, meaning that it is shaped like a lower-case n (see Fig. For every one silicon, Model release not required. It is convex when cohesion is stronger. 4: The Phenomenon of Capillary Action. Direct link to Jiahui Ni's post So if water is held in co, Posted 4 years ago. Water forms drops on these surfaces because the cohesive forces within the drops are greater than the adhesive forces between the water and the plastic. Continue. This occurs between water and glass. Please enable it in your browser. But when you pour syrup on pancakes or add oil to a car engine, you note that syrup and motor oil do not flow as readily. Mercury When mercury is placed in a graduated cylinder, the cohesive forces in the mercury are stronger than the adhesive forces between the mercury and the glass. So you take a thin glass tube When a tube of a narrow bore, often called a capillary tube, is dipped into a liquid and the liquid wets the tube (with zero contact angle), the liquid surface inside the tube forms a concave meniscus, which is a virtually spherical surface having the same radius, r, as the inside of the tube. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. (credit: Mark Ott). And then it's going to stick to the glass. properties of adhesion. partial positive charges form at the silicon The height to which a liquid will rise in a capillary tube is determined by several factors as shown in the following equation: \[h=\dfrac{2T\cos}{rg} \label{10.2.1}\], Applications: Capillary Action is Used to Draw Blood. In a science class, this liquid is usually water or some sort of aqueous solution, and the column is usually a graduated cylinder or a pipet. A concave meniscus, which is what you normally will see, occurs when the molecules of the liquid are attracted to those of the container. If the adhesive forces between water molecules and the molecules of the surface are weak compared to the cohesive forces between the water molecules, the water does not wet the surface. The surface tension is quite a major effect. And this right over here But once it came up, came in contact with the glass surface right container then you will see a "convex meniscus." away from the container than when you're at the container. stick to the container.) Direct link to Ernest Zinck's post The mercury atoms are str, Posted 7 years ago. Why is the surface of water in glass tubes curved? Mercury forms a convex meniscus as there is a strong attractive force between the molecules of mercury than the force between the molecule and the walls of the container. A convex meniscus occurs when the molecules have a stronger attraction to each other than to the container, as with mercury and glass. A flat meniscus occurs when water in some types of plastic tubes; tubes made out of material that water does not stick to. https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-read-a-meniscus-606055 (accessed May 1, 2023). How far the blood goes up the tube depends on the diameter of the tube (and the type of fluid). Science Photo Library's website uses cookies. right now, that is the water. Direct link to zzz's post Eventually the force of g, Posted 4 years ago. [3], "Surface and interfacial tension | White Paper", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meniscus_(liquid)&oldid=1152442360, This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 07:42. What happens when a rocket leaves the earth? But there's even more fascinating The strong adhesive forces between the water and the glass, pull the sides of the water upwards along the glass forming a concave shaped meniscus. Mercury has a convex meniscus because the intermolecular forces between mercury atoms are stronger than those between mercury atoms and glass molecules of a tube. Menisci are a manifestation of capillary action, by which either surface adhesion pulls a liquid up to form a concave meniscus, or internal cohesion pulls the liquid down to form a convex meniscus. mercury The curved surface of a liquid inside a container is the meniscus. It all depends on if the molecules of the liquid are more attracted to the outside material or to themselves. Towels soak up liquids like water because the fibers of a towel are made of molecules that are attracted to water molecules. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The meniscus (plural: menisci, from the Greek word for crescent) is the curve in the upper surface of a liquid close to the surface of the container or another object, caused by surface tension.
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