Ncert Exercises & Solutions

The magnitude of surface tension of liquid depends on the attractive forces between the molecules. Arrange the following in increasing order of surface tension:

Water, alcohol $(C_{2} H_{5} OH)$ and hexane $[{CH}_{3} {({CH}_{2})}_{4} {CH}_{3}]$ .

In the above given molecules, only hexane

({CH}_{3} {({CH}_{2})}_{4} {CH}_{3})

is a non-polar molecule in which Landon dispersion forces exist. These forces are very weak while both water and alcohol are polar molecules in which dipole-dipole interactions as well as H-bonding exists.

However, H-bonding interactions are much stronger in water than

H_{2} O

, therefore, it possesses stronger intermolecules than alcohol and hexane. Hence, the increasing order of surface tension is

hexane < alcohol < water

Greater is the attractive forces between the molecules, greater is the magnitude of surface tension of liquid.

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