How does surface tension work, and how can I prove its existence by placing paper clips on the surface of water?  Does the Tension Experiment even work?  Watch this video to find out for yourself.
  Ending Frustration through How-To Videos!
594 how-to Videos    |    405 how-to Categories     |   17 how-to Comments 

ShowMeHow    |  Categories  |    Search   |  Subscribe  {RSS/XMLForum  |  TagsAsk / Add Video    

Email How to Place Paper Clips on the Water ’s Surface for the Tension Experiment to a friend

How to Place Paper Clips on the Water ’s Surface for the Tension Experiment

Recent How to's Related to the Experiments category

How to Make the Simplest Steam Engine From A Candle

How to Use a Paper Clip for the Water Surface Tension Experiment

How to Place Paper Clips on the Water ’s Surface for the Tension Experiment

How to Make a Colored, and Transparent egg, using Vinegar

How to X-Ray an Egg


See all How-To's in the Experiments category
 
You can also subscribe and get How to's from the Experiments category right in your inbox.

We keep your info private.

Add comments for "How to Place Paper Clips on the Water ’s Surface for the Tension Experiment"
Email How to Place Paper Clips on the Water ’s Surface for the Tension Experiment to a friendEmail How to Place Paper Clips on the Water ’s Surface for the Tension Experiment to a friend

This experiment will show you how to test the surface tension of water.

Surface tension
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In physics, surface tension is an effect within the surface layer of a liquid that causes that layer to behave as an elastic sheet. This effect allows insects (such as the water strider) to walk on water, allows small metal objects such as needles, razor blades, or foil fragments to float on the surface of water, and causes capillary action. Interface tension is the name of the same effect when it takes place between two liquids.

The cause of surface tension

Surface tension is caused by the attraction between the molecules of the liquid by various intermolecular forces. In the bulk of the liquid each molecule is pulled equally in all directions by neighboring liquid molecules, resulting in a net force of zero. At the surface of the liquid, the molecules are pulled inwards by other molecules deeper inside the liquid but they are not attracted as intensely by the molecules in the neighbouring medium (be it vacuum, air or another liquid). Therefore all of the molecules at the surface are subject to an inward force of molecular attraction which can be balanced only by the resistance of the liquid to compression. Thus the liquid squeezes itself together until it has the locally lowest surface area possible.

Another way to think about it is that a molecule in contact with a neighbor is in a lower state of energy than if it weren't in contact with a neighbor. The interior molecules all have as many neighbors as they can possibly have. But the boundary molecules have fewer neighbors than interior molecules and are therefore in a higher state of energy. For the liquid to minimize its energy state, it must minimize its number of boundary molecules and therefore minimize its surface area.

See more from these categories:
 Experiments [xml]
 Kids [xml]
 Rocks and Minerals [xml]
 Science and Nature [xml]
See more how-to's related to:







BookMark How to Place Paper Clips on the Water ’s Surface for the Tension Experiment to your favorite site(s) below
del.icio.us | Digg it | Yahoo MyWeb | Onlywire | Email to a friend

See other How-To's about:
 Get email updates from the Experiments category. Experiments [xml]
 Get email updates from the Kids category. Kids [xml]
 Get email updates from the Rocks and Minerals category. Rocks and Minerals [xml]
 Get email updates from the Science and Nature category. Science and Nature [xml]

To subscribe by email to a category above, click the next to it.
Bookmark (How to Place Paper Clips on the Water ’s Surface for the Tension Experiment) to your favorite site(s) below
Email How to Place Paper Clips on the Water ’s Surface for the Tension Experiment to a friend add to Digg add to Del.icio.us add to Wist add to Spurl add to Simpy add to Reddit add to Newsvine add to Furl add to Fark add to Blinklist add to Yahoo add to Comments add to Smarking add to Shadows add to Scuttle add to Rawsugar add to Netvous add to Magnolia add to linkagogo add to feedmelinks add to delirious add to connotea add to blogmarks add to blinkbits add to tailrank
 
Our most recent HowTo Video additions:

How to Blend Face Make-Up into the Neck


How To Use Toning for Oily Skin


How to use Toning for Combination Skin


How to use SPF Protection for Oily Skin


How to Moisturize the Neck for Oily Skin


How to Moisturize the Lips for Oily Skin


How to Moisturize the Face for Oily Skin


How to Moisturize the Eye Area for Oily Skin


How to Choose and Use Facial Masks for Combination Skin


How to Perform Skin Care On the Go for Oily Skin


If How to Place Paper Clips on the Water ’s Surface for the Tension Experiment is your video, and you believe it's here without your consent, please refer to our DMCA policy.

Add your thoughts for How to Place Paper Clips on the Water ’s Surface for the Tension Experiment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by TellMeHowToDoThis.com before your comment will appear. Thanks for being patient!)

 

 

 

About  |  Blog  |  Win Money  |  FAQ | Contact / JV or Affiliate / Ads | SiteMap | TOS / Privacy / DMCA / GNU