Experiment 3
Determination of the Surface Tension of Benzene and Ethyl Alcohol at 25ºC
Objective: To determine the surface tension of benzene and ethyl alcohol at 25ºC by drop method
Theory
The value of the surface tension can be obtained by determining the weight of the drop of liquid which falls freely from the end of
a tube. If it is again assumed that the angle of contact between the liquid and the tube is zero (which is, however, in general, not
strictly correct), we have 2πr.γ = W = υ.d, where 2πr represents the external circumference of the end of the tube; W, the weight
of the drop; υ, its volume; and d, the density (specific gravity). For relative determinations it is easier, instead of determining the
weight of the drops, to determine the number of drops formed by a given volume of the liquids. If one employs the same dropping
tube, then, since the number of drops yielded by the same volume of liquid is inversely proportional to the volume of a single
drop, we have
, where γl and γ2 are the surface tensions of the two liquids; and n1 and n2 are the number of drops given by the same volume
of the liquids, the densities of which are d1 and d2 respectively. If the surface tension of one of the liquids is known, that of the
other can be calculated. There are three ways to measure the surface tension of a liquid: Torsion balance method, Capillary rise
method and Drop method.
Figure 1: Illustration of surface tension of water molecule.
The water molecules within the liquids are attracted to each other in all direction forming hydrogen bond. This coordination is
called cohesion. At the surface, there is no water molecule above them and they are left with free. They are free to form stronger
tighter force and they a tension stronger than the middle and the surface tension at the surface is higher.
Traube's Stalagmometer
For the determination of the surface tension by the drop method, the Traube Stalagmometer is convenient and accurate. A
diagram of the apparatus is shown in Fig 2 below. The dropping-tube or stalagmometer, A, consists of a capillary tube the end of
which is flattened out (in order to give a larger dropping surface) and the surface is then carefully ground flat and polished. The
capillary is sealed on to a wider tube on which a bulb is blown, and on the stem of the tube two marks are etched, one above and
one below the bulb. The determination of the surface tension then consists in counting the number of drops which fall from the
end of the stalagmometer while the level of the liquid falls from the upper to the lower mark. To increase the accuracy of the
readings, the tube above and below the bulb is marked with a scale. With the help of this, fractions of a drop can be estimated,
with an accuracy of 0.05 of a drop, by first determining how many scale divisions correspond to one drop. While making this
preliminary determination the flow of liquid from the stalagmometer may be retarded, if necessary, by placing the finger lightly on
the open end of the tube.
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Great care must be exercised to ensure that the dropping surface is perfectly free from greasiness. It must be carefully cleaned
by means of chromic acid mixture, and polished, when necessary, by means of a piece of fine soft linen or clean cotton wool.
Even slight traces of grease on the dropping surface will markedly alter the size of the drops formed. Care should also be taken
to preserve the apparatus from being shaken while an experiment is being carried out, as thereby the drops of liquid may be
caused to fall before they have attained their maximum size. For the same reason the velocity of flow of the liquid must be
regulated so that the drops are not formed too rapidly; and although the rate of dropping may be varied, up to a certain point,
without affecting the size of the drop, it should not be allowed to increase above a maximum of 20 drops per minute. If the natural
rate of dropping is greater, it must be retarded, either by placing the finger lightly on the upper end of the tube, or, better, by
attaching to the latter a piece of fine thermometer capillary tubing of greater or shorter length according to the rate of dropping.
For determinations with liquids of greatly different viscosity, and, consequently, different rate of dropping, one may also use
stalagmometers with capillary tubes of different bore. In order that the determinations may be carried out at constant
temperature, the end of the stalagmometer is passed through a rubber stopper which fits into the neck of a small tube or bottle B
(see Fig 2. below). The apparatus may then be placed in a thermostat.
Fig. 2 Stalagmometer
Procedure
The drop-number for water is first determined. The stalagmometer, having been cleaned, is filled with
distilled water, and then, with the lower end protected by a tube immersed in a thermostat at 25 º C. As
explained above, the number of scale divisions corresponding to one drop is determined, and then the
number of drops contained in the volume of liquid between the two fixed marks. Different determinations
of this number should not vary by more than 0-3-0.5 drop. The stalagmometer is then dried and
determinations of the drop-number for benzene and for alcohol carried out in exactly the same way.
From the values of the drop-numbers and densities of the liquids, and the value of the surface tension of
water at 25 ºC, the surface tensions of benzene and alcohol can then be calculated. The values of the surface tension
determined by this method and by the capillary-rise method should not differ by more than 1 per cent.
NB: the surface tension of water at 25 ºC is ~ 72 dynes/cm
Data
sample Density (m/v) No of Drops Calculated Value Remark
Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Average of γ
Water 72 dynes/cm Known at 25 ºC
benzene
ethyl alcohol
References
SURFACE TENSION. Renard and Guye, J. Chim. Phys.y 1907, 5, 81; Traube, Ber.t 1887, 20, 2644, 2824; J. pr. Chem., 1886,
(2), 34, 292
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