144,479 views
11 votes
11 votes
Explain briefly where the energy come from when a liquid Rises against Gravity in a capillary tube​

User Makromat
by
2.3k points

1 Answer

16 votes
16 votes

Answer:

Surface tension

Step-by-step explanation:

When liquid rises against gravity in a capillary tube, the energy comes from surface tension.

This is because surface tension is the energy that's needed to increase the liquid surface area.

As a result of hydrogen bonding present in Water, it usually has high surface tension which makes it to possess a tough skin that can make it not to break despite high forces applied to it.

The liquid will be in contact with the capillary tube and as such experiences surface tension which in turn makes the capillary tube to experience an upward force that makes the liquid begin to rise up.

The more the liquid keeps rising, the more it gets to the point where the surface tension becomes balanced from the weight of the liquid.

User Jacob Stamm
by
3.5k points