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Question

Which phenomenon is responsible for the spherical shape of liquid drops?


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Solution

Surface tension:

  1. The quality of a liquid's surface that permits it to withstand an external force owing to the cohesive nature of its own components is called surface tension.
  2. The attractive forces between molecules inside a liquid, as well as the forces of attraction surrounding solids, and liquids, including gases in collision with that as well, generate surface tension.
  3. The tension in a liquid's shell layer induced by the bulk of such liquid's adhesion to the particles in the surface layer typically tends to reduce surface area.
  4. Surface tension is caused by the effort or energy required to remove the surface layer of molecules in a unit area.
  5. The force required to shatter a 1cm film is commonly stated in dynes/cm.

Therefore, surface tension is responsible for the shape of liquid droplets.


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