Question

Suppose water is raised by capillary action to a height of 3.95 cm in a glass tube. If the same radius paraffin tube is used, what height will water reach due to capillary action?

A) Lower than 3.95 cm

B) The same as 3.95 cm

C) Higher than 3.95 cm

D) Cannot be determined with the given information

Answer 1

Water will reach a height lower than 3.95 cm in a paraffin tube of the same radius due to the smaller contact angle between paraffin and water.

Step-by-step explanation:

When water is raised by capillary action in a glass tube, the height it reaches is determined by the radius of the tube. The smaller the radius, the higher the water will be raised. So, if the same radius paraffin tube is used, the water will reach a height lower than 3.95 cm. This is because paraffin has a larger contact angle with water compared to glass, which reduces the capillary rise. Therefore, the correct answer is A) Lower than 3.95 cm.