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On the measurement of surface tension and contact angle
Author(s) -
Miersemann E.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
zamm ‐ journal of applied mathematics and mechanics / zeitschrift für angewandte mathematik und mechanik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.449
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1521-4001
pISSN - 0044-2267
DOI - 10.1002/zamm.201200034
Subject(s) - contact angle , capillary action , surface tension , capillary surface , constant (computer programming) , surface (topology) , materials science , optics , tension (geology) , mechanics , tube (container) , cross section (physics) , capillary number , capillary length , geometry , physics , composite material , mathematics , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics , ultimate tensile strength , computer science , programming language
We propose a new method which combines experiments with numerical calculations to determine the capillary constant and the capillary contact angle. We measure the ascent of the liquid at the interior and at the exterior of a circular transparent tube. In contrast to known methods we do not assume that the contact angle is known. Assuming the interior contact angle is equal to the exterior angle, we find the capillary constant of the given liquid from the fact that the surface tensions of the interior and the exterior surfaces are equal. Dipping a cylindrical wire with constant circular cross section into a liquid with known surface tension we can determine the contact angle between the given liquid and the material from which the wire is made.