Question

What is capillarity? Give some application of capillarity?

Answer 1

Hint: Capillarity is the result of surface, or interfacial, forces. The rise of water in a thin tube inserted in water is caused by forces of attraction between the molecules of water and the glass walls and among the molecules of water themselves.

Complete answer:
Capillary action can be defined as the ascension of liquids through a slim tube, cylinder or permeable substance due to adhesive and cohesive forces interacting between the liquid and the surface. When intermolecular bonding of a liquid itself is substantially inferior to a substances’ surface it is interacting, capillarity occurs. Also, the diameter of the container as well as the gravitational forces will determine the amount of liquid raised. While water possesses this unique property, a liquid like mercury will not display the same attributes due to the fact that it has higher cohesive force than adhesive force.
Practical use of capillary action is evident in all forms of our daily lives. It makes performing our tasks efficiently and effectively. Some applications of this unique property include:
$ * $The fundamental properties are used to absorb water by using paper towels. The cohesive and adhesive properties draw the fluid into the paper towel. The liquid flows into the paper towel at a certain rate.
$ * $A technique called thin layer chromatography uses capillary action in which a layer of liquid is used to separate mixtures from substances.
$ * $Capillary action helps us naturally by pumping out tear fluid in the eye. This process cleanses the eye and clears all of the dust and particles that are around the ducts of the eye.
$ * $To generate energy: A possible use for capillary action is as a source of renewable energy. Capillary action can make electricity! Although this idea is still in the works, it goes to show the potential that capillary action holds and how important it is.

Note:
The capillarity of the liquid is said to be high when adhesion is greater than cohesion, and vice versa. Hence, knowledge of the liquid is not sufficient to determine when capillary action will occur, since we must also know the chemical composition of the tube.