Final answer:
Capillary action is the tendency of a fluid to be raised or suppressed in a narrow tube due to cohesive and adhesive forces. It plays a role in various natural and man-made processes, including transporting water in plants, separating mixtures in chromatography, and tears in the eyes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Capillary action is the tendency of a fluid to be raised or suppressed in a narrow tube, or capillary tube which is due to the relative strength of cohesive and adhesive forces.
Capillary action is the net result of two opposing sets of forces: cohesive forces, which are the intermolecular forces that hold a liquid together, and adhesive forces, which are the attractive forces between a liquid and the substance that composes the capillary.
In terms of applications, capillary action plays a vital role in various natural and man-made processes. For example, in plants, capillary action occurring in cells called xylem helps transport water and dissolved nutrients from the roots up to the rest of the plant. Capillary action is also the principle behind thin layer chromatography, a laboratory technique used to separate small quantities of mixtures. Additionally, capillary action plays a role in the movement of tears in the eyes to keep them lubricated.