CHM170L Exp3 Surface Tension

CHM170L Physical Chemistry 1 Laboratory
4th Quarter SY 2009-2010
Surface Tension of Liquids

Nieva, Aileen D.1, Arceo, Mary Anne V., Cuales, Jelline C., Kim, Sung Min, Ngan, Emil Joseph T., Rivera, Jainie Lynne
B.2
Professor, School of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biotechnology, Mapua Institute of Technology; 2Student (s), CHM170L/A41, School of Chemical Engineering,
Chemistry and Biotechnology, Mapua Institute of Technology
1
ABSTRACT
In this experiment, the objectives are to measure the surface tension of a pure liquid and of an aqueous solution, to
determine the effect of bulk solute concentration on the surface tension of an aqueous solution and to evaluate
graphically the parameters of the Gibbs isotherm. Surface tension is a property of the surface of a liquid caused
by cohesion of like molecules, which is responsible for many of the behaviors of liquids. Since the molecules on
the surface of the liquid are not surrounded by like molecules on all sides, they are more attracted to their
neighbors on the surface. This is what causes the surface portion of liquid to be attracted to another surface, such
as that of another portion of liquid. The experiment uses the static method: the tensiometer-ring method. It was
initialized by doing the zero adjustment and calculating the correction on the tensiometer. From there the surface
tension of the liquids: water and different concentrations (0.1- 0.8) of n-butanol were measured. Results showed
that addition of more n-butanol lowered the surface tension of the solution. A generalization was then made upon
performing the experiment; the addition of the solute causes a decrease in the surface tension of the solvent
because the solute concentrates slightly in the neighborhood of the surface.
INTRODUCTION
The surface tension is the amount of energy required to
stretch or increase the surface of a liquid by a unit area.
Liquids that have strong intermolecular forces also have
high surface tensions. It is also the cohesive forces
between liquid molecules are responsible for the
phenomenon.
interface, there is migration of the species having the lowest

surface tension, or free energy per unit area, at the
temperature of the system.
This migration at the interface results in a liquid-phase rich
in the component with the highest surface tension and a
vapor phase rich in the component with the lowest surface
tension.
The molecules at the surface do not have other like

molecules on all sides of them and consequently they
cohere more strongly to those directly associated with them
on the surface.
The more volatile component is adsorbed from the mixture

and extends about one atomic diameter into the gas phase
beyond the other species.
This forms a surface film which makes it more difficult to

move an object through the surface than to move it when it
is completely submersed.
It has been found out that the surface tensions of solutions

are in general different from those of the corresponding
pure solvents.
The surface tension of a liquid mixture is not a simple

function of the surface tensions of the pure liquids. Also, the
composition of the bulk phase and the composition at the
vapor-liquid interface are not always the same. At the
It has also been found out that solutes whose addition

results in a decrease in surface tension tend to concentrate
slightly in the neighborhood of the surface (positive surface
concentration) while those whose addition results in an
Experiment 03 Group No. 4 15 June 2010
1 of 5

increase in surface (negative surface concentration).

Equilibrium is reached when the tendency for the free
energy decrease due to lowering surface tension is
balanced by an opposing tendency for free energy increase
due to non-uniformity of solute concentration near the
surface.
The dependency of the surface tension of a given ideal
solution on the concentration and temperature was first
shown by Willard Gibbs thus the following equation is
named Gibbs Isotherm.
(1)
(2)
Measure the surface tension of distilled water at

least three times and get the mean reading ( m).
Record the liquid temperature.
Obtain the literature value of the surface tension of
water at the temperature recorded. Calculate the
correction for the tensiometer.
Do the measurement with pure water at least three
times.
Repeat the measurement with n-butanol solutions
for eight different concentrations.
For each concentration, perform at least five
measurements.
Calculate the surface concentration of n-butanol
from the surface tension data graphically.
Set-up of Apparatus
where
is surface tension (dynes/cm), C is the bulk
concentration (moles/cm2).
Platinum Ring
One of the devices used in measuring the surface tension

of a liquid is the use of Du Nouy tensiometer.
Sample
Du Noy Ring Tensiometer, is the type of tensiometer uses

a platinum ring which is submersed in a liquid. As the ring is
pulled out of the liquid, the tension required is precisely
measured in order to determine the surface tension of the
liquid.
This method requires that the platinum ring be nearly
perfect; even a small blemish or scratch can greatly alter
the accuracy of the results. A correction for buoyancy must
be made. This method is considered obsolete and is no
longer widely used.
Digital Tensiometer
Surface tension reader
METHODOLOGY
EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
Equipment and Glassware
Du Nuoy tensiometer, 50 mL glass-stopperd Erlenmeyer
flasks, 5 mL volumetric pipets, flasks, stirrer
Experimental Procedure
Adjust the tensiometer adjustment to zero.
2 of 5

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
upper part of the instrument. The ring is placed at the

surface of a liquid with air. It is then pulled upward until it
breaks free of the liquid and moves into the second liquid or
into the air. The force that is just required to break the ring
free of the liquid/air interface is proportional to the surface
tension.
Measured Surface Tension of Water:

Trial 1
85.9 dynes/cm
Trial 2
85.3 dynes/cm
Trial 3
86.7 dynes/cm
Concentration,
mole / liter
Doing three trials, we obtained 85.967 dynes/cm.

This gives us a difference of 12.133 dynes/cm.
Surface Tension, dynes / cm

Measured
Corrected
0.00
0.10
37.9
50.033
0.20
36.6
48.433
0.30
35.9
48.033
0.40
35.7
47.833
0.50
35.6
47.733
0.60
35.5
47.633
0.70
35.4
47.533
0.80
35.3
47.43
Table 1. Surface Tension of n-butanol Solution of
Different Concentrations
The first thing to do is to get the Erlenmeyer flask and
measure 5 mL of n-butanol and dilute it to the mark with
water.
Water surface tension was 72.0 dynes/cm at 25C and 67.9
dynes/cm at 50C temperature. The temperature of the
water is 32 C, and its surface tension was 98.18
dynes/cm. The surface tensions literature value was
computed using interpolation.
The instrument used to get the surface tension of
the liquids was Du Nuoy tensiometer. It consists of a
platinum-iridium ring supported by a stirrup attached to the
The n-butanol solutions surface tension with

different concentration was also measured. Different values
of surface tension were recorded due to the difference in its
concentration.
Addition of more n-butanol lowered the surface
tension of the solution.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
From the experiment performed one can conclude that the
surface tension of water is relatively high. In the solution of
n-butanol if we are to mix it with water or dilute it, its
concentration would be much lesser because from the
experiment, as the group dilute the n-butanol with water
starting from 0.10 mole/L to approximately 0.45mole/liter. It
has been observed that as the n-butanol is more
concentrated the more its surface tension to be more lesser
because as we all know that the surface tension of water is
more higher thus if we are to put more n-butanol therefore
less water will be in the content. As a result of that lesser
surface tension value will be come up.
As to the percent error, the group thought that
perhaps/maybe the error may have occurred not only to the
operator of the machine but as well as the machine itself
because the value that the machine is reading is not that
constant or should the group say not that accurate anymore
perhaps it has not been calibrated.
It is recommended to read first the background and
procedures of the experiment thoroughly before performing
the experiment. Handle the tensiometer carefully.
Since the tensiometer in the laboratory room cannot be
adjusted to zero, after pushing the reset button, take note of
the initial reading. This should be added to the final reading
3 of 5

of
the
6.
I
n
t
e
rf
a
ci
a
l
surface tension of the liquids. And lastly, proper dilution

should be done.
Properties of Mixtures of Molecular Fluids.
REFERENCES
CH3I + CCl4 and CH3CN + CCl4, Teixeira, P.I.C.,
Comparison between Theory and Experiment:

Almeida, B.S., Telo da Gama, M.M, Rueda, J.A.,
1. General Chemistry The Essential Concepts by
and Rubio, R.G.
Raymond Chang
APPENDICES
2. An Approximate Theory of Interfacial Tension of
Multicomponent Systems: Applications Binary
Appendix A: Graph (Surface Tension)
Liquid-Vapor Tensions, Winterfield, P.H., Scriven,

L.E., and Davis, H.T.
3. Physical Chemistry Laboratory Manual, Part 1
(2006) by Alvin R. Caparanga, John Ysrael G.
Baluyut and Allan N. Soriano
4.
The Surface Tension and Density of Binary

Hydrocarbon Mixtures: Benzene-n-Hexane and
Benzene-n-Dodecane, Schmidt, R.L., Randall,
J.C., and Clever, H.L.
5.
Surface and Interfacial Tensions, Gambill, W.R.
4 of 5

Appendix B: Du Nouy ring
1-The ring is above the surface and the force is

zeroed.
2 - The ring hits the surface and there is a slight
positive force due to the adhesive force between
ring
and
surface.
3 - The ring must be pushed through the surface
(due to the surface tension) which causes a small
negative
force.
4 - The ring breaks through the surface and a
small positive force is measured due to the
supporting
wires
of
the
ring.
5 - When lifted through the surface the measured
force
starts
to
increase.
6 - The force keeps increasing until
7 - The maximum force is reached
8 - After the maximum there is a small decrease of
in the force until the lamella breaks.
Appendix C. Data Sheet (Attached)
5 of 5

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CHM170L Physical Chemistry 1 Laboratory

4th Quarter SY 2009-2010

Surface Tension of Liquids

interface, there is migration of the species having the lowest

The molecules at the surface do not have other like

The more volatile component is adsorbed from the mixture

This forms a surface film which makes it more difficult to

It has been found out that the surface tensions of solutions

The surface tension of a liquid mixture is not a simple

It has also been found out that solutes whose addition

Experiment 03 Group No. 4 15 June 2010

CHM170L Physical Chemistry 1 Laboratory

increase in surface (negative surface concentration).

Measure the surface tension of distilled water at

One of the devices used in measuring the surface tension

Du Noy Ring Tensiometer, is the type of tensiometer uses

Adjust the tensiometer adjustment to zero.

Experiment 03 Group No. 4 15 June 2010

CHM170L Physical Chemistry 1 Laboratory

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

upper part of the instrument. The ring is placed at the

Measured Surface Tension of Water:

Doing three trials, we obtained 85.967 dynes/cm.

Surface Tension, dynes / cm

Experiment 03 Group No. 4 15 June 2010

The n-butanol solutions surface tension with

CHM170L Physical Chemistry 1 Laboratory

surface tension of the liquids. And lastly, proper dilution

Properties of Mixtures of Molecular Fluids.

CH3I + CCl4 and CH3CN + CCl4, Teixeira, P.I.C.,

Comparison between Theory and Experiment:

1. General Chemistry The Essential Concepts by

and Rubio, R.G.

Appendix A: Graph (Surface Tension)

Liquid-Vapor Tensions, Winterfield, P.H., Scriven,

The Surface Tension and Density of Binary

Surface and Interfacial Tensions, Gambill, W.R.

Experiment 03 Group No. 4 15 June 2010

CHM170L Physical Chemistry 1 Laboratory

Appendix B: Du Nouy ring

1-The ring is above the surface and the force is

Experiment 03 Group No. 4 15 June 2010

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