Exp.

2: Jaeger’s Method
Objectives:
To determine the surface tension of a given liquid by Jaeger’s method.

Apparatus:
Jaeger’s apparatus, travelling microscope, adjustable stand.

Theory:
The apparatus used by Jaeger is depicted in Fig. 1. This apparatus consists of a bottle B to
which a funnel F is attached in order to drop liquid into it. Another glass tube containing
the manometer M and a capillary tube C is also attached to the bottle B. The end of C is
drawn into a fine capillary with a circular orifice and is dipped to a depth h into the liquid
whose surface tension is to be determined. Liquid rises in the capillary tube up to a
certain height. Now if water is allowed to slowly fall into the bottle B from the funnel
though the stop-cock S1, an equal amount of air is pushed out of the bottle into the tube
carrying manometer and capillary tube C, thereby compressing the liquid in C. The liquid
column in C is pushed down and the pressing air forms a bubble at the end of C. The
radius of the bubble gradually decreases with increasing pressure inside it and finally
reaches to a minimum value, which is equal to the radius (r) of orifice at open end of C.
Two external pressures act on the
F S2 bubble at this stage. When the two
pressures are equal, bubble
S1 becomes hemispherical. Any slight
T increase of the inner air pressure at
C
H
this stage upsets the bubble and it
gets blown out of the end of C. Let
M h us consider equilibrium of the air
B bubble just before its detachment
from the orifice of C. If P is the
atmospheric pressure, then the
Figure 1: Experimental set-up for Jaeger’s method. pressure acting from inside on the
air bubble is

𝑃!" = 𝑃 + 𝐻𝜌𝑔   (1)

where H is the maximum difference in the level of liquid in the manometer and ρ
is the density of the liquid in the manometer. At the same time pressure outside
the bubble is
𝑃!"# = 𝑃 + ℎ𝜎𝑔 (2)

where σ is the density of the liquid for which surface tension is to be measured.
The excess pressure inside the bubble over the outside is

𝑃!"#!$$ = 𝑃 + 𝐻𝜌𝑔 − 𝑃 + ℎ𝜎𝑔 (3)

But the excess pressure within the air bubble in a liquid is 2T/r. Hence,

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 !
𝑇 = 𝑟𝑔 𝐻𝜌 − ℎ𝜎
!
(4)

The unit of surface tension is “Newton/meter”.

Procedure: Measurement of orifice radius of the capillary tube using travelling

microscope
In order to measure orifice radius, following procedures have to be executed step-by-step:
1. Clamp the capillary tube on the holder in horizontal position.
2. Arrange microscope in horizontal position and in line with the horizontal axis of
the capillary tube.
3. Focus microscope on the orifice of the capillary tube.
4. Now adjust the microscope in such a way that the vertical crosswire coincides
with the left end of the orifice of the capillary tube (Fig. 2). Note down the
reading.
5. Bring the vertical crosswire on the right end of the
orifice of the capillary tube. Note down the reading.
6. Now adjust microscope so that the horizontal
crosswire becomes tangent to the lower end of the
orifice. Note down the reading.
7. Bring the horizontal crosswire on the upper end of the
orifice of the capillary tube. Note down the reading.
From the observations you will get two values of diameter, Figure 2: Measurement of
one for vertical and one for the horizontal. Repeat the orifice radius.
diameter measurement at least thrice for both the directions.

Measurement of surface tension by Jaeger’s method: Referring to Fig. 1, first ensure

that the bottle B is tightly closed and there is no leakage of air from any point where
rubber tubes/cocks are used to connect glass tubes/capillary. Now, in order to carry out
experiment, following procedures have to be executed step-by-step:
1. Fix the capillary tube “C” so that it stands vertically as shown in Fig. 1. Dip it
inside the liquid whose surface tension is to be measured. The immersed height
should be ~3-4 cm.
2. Measure h with the help of microscope. For this, travelling microscope should be
first focused on the lower end of the capillary tube “C” with horizontal crosswire
coinciding with the lower end of the capillary tube. Note down the reading. Now,
focus in a way that the horizontal crosswire coincides with the water level. Note
down the reading. Difference of these two readings leads to h.
3. Open S1 slightly so that water falls into the bottle B. Adjust S1 & S2 so that a
sufficient gap is maintained in the formation of successive air bubble at the
immersed end of the glass capillary C. Using travelling microscope, record
maximum difference in the height of the liquid in the two arms of the manometer
just when bubble attains a radius equal to the radius of the orifice of the capillary.
4. Repeat “step 3” at least five times for same h and then several times by varying h.

Observations: Measurement of radius of the orifice of the capillary tube:

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 Least count of microscope =
Microscope reading in one Microscope reading in
S. direction perpendicular direction Mean Mean
No One Other Diameter One Other Diameter dia radius
. End End (cm) End End (cm) (cm) (cm)
(cm) (cm) (cm) (cm)
1
2
3

Measurement of H and h:
Room temperature =
Density (ρ) of the liquid in the manometer at room temp =
Density (σ) of the liquid for which surface tension is to be measured at room temp =
S. r h Manometer reading H (cm) Mean
No. (cm) (cm) Lower end (x) (cm) Upper end (y) (cm) (y – x) H (cm)

..
Average H =
Calculation:
Following procedures should be adopted for the analysis:
1. Calculate T using Eq. (4) for room temperature for the given liquid. Compare the
obtained value from the theoretical value for the given liquid.
2. Estimate maximum possible error in the measurement for both the methods.

Reference:
1. Resnick & Halliday, Fundamentals of Physics, John Wiley & Sons (1981).
2. B. L. Worshnop and H. T. Flint, Advanced Practical Physics, Khosla Pub House
(1991).

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