Effect Of Temperature On Capillary Action

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The Effect of Temperature on Capillary Action

Design
Background Information:
Capillary Action is the ability of a liquid to flow through a narrow space without the assistance of external forces such as gravity. It occurs because of intermolecular forces between the liquid and surrounding surfaces.

There are three main variables that determine whether a liquid will posses capillary action. (Davis, 1995)

1. Cohesive Force: The intermolecular forces that cause liquids to resist separation and to remain a certain shape. This exists between molecules of the same substance.
2. Adhesive Force: The attractive forces between unlike molecules. In some cases adhesion causes the liquid to cling to the surface where it rests.
3. Surface Tension: The contractive tendency of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force. This is measured in Newton.

Capillary action can only occur when the adhesive forces are stronger than the cohesive forces, which creates surface tension in liquid. The kinetic energy produced when the liquid is heated, allows the attractive forces between the molecules to weaken and this causes them to move past each other more freely. This results in the liquid flowing more easily. Therefore temperature increases capillary action and capillary flow because of the decrease in cohesive force. The intermolecular forces between the molecules are less packed due to the increase in temperature and the surface tension in the liquid will decrease as the temperature increases and this will help the flow of the liquid through the capillary tube.

Aim: To determine the effect of temperature change on the height of water in capillary action at 8 seconds.

Research Question: How does temperature affect the height of water in...

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...g them.
- Take care when handling glassware eg. Thermometers, beakers, stirring rod and test tubes, to minimize breakage keep glassware away from the edges of the bench and be careful when holding and moving them around.
- After each trial, leave equipment for 2 minutes to cool. After this when moving hot test tubes and beakers, use the heat proof gloves provided to prevent burning skin
- Wear safety goggles to prevent hot water from splashing into eyes.

Assumptions:
- Temperature of water was even throughout the beaker
- Water quality and composition is the same in each Mount Franklin Bottle.
- No impurities

References:
UC Davis GeoWiki by University of California. (2013). Cohesive and Adhesive Forces. Retrieved April 2014, from http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Physical_Chemistry/Physical_Properties_of_Matter/Macroscopic_Properties/Cohesive_And_Adhesive_Forces

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