Capillarity

Encyclopedia : C : CA : CAP : Capillarity

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Capillarity causes the part of the surface of a liquid in contact with a solid, to be either elevated above (e.g. water), or depressed below (e.g. mercury), the rest of the surface. This trait is named for the behaviour of liquids in capillary tubes placed perpendicular to the surface. The forces operating within capillarity are cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension.

Capillary action helps us in our daily lives. For example, it makes water rise through the fibres of a kitchen towel. If capillary action did not exist, we would not be able to blot up spills on a table, or ink from a page.

See also

• Capillary action
• Capillary fringe

External links

• [Iowa state University Soil physics department page about Capillarity]

 

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