Paper 1

Kenneth Carlo                                                                                 9-27-14

     Surface Tension is a contractive tendency of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force. Surface tension is typically measured in dynes/cm. Surface tension is a physical property of water. The cohesive force keeps the water intact. Each molecule in the beaker is pulled in every direction equally adjacent molecules. Cohesion refers to the fact that water sticks to itself very easily. Adhesion means that water also sticks very well to other things, which is why it spreads out in a thin film on certain surfaces, like glass. When water comes into contact with these surfaces, the adhesive forces are stronger than the cohesive forces. Instead of sticking together in a ball, it spreads out.