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anyone know what capillarity is? (1 Viewer)

future-doctor

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Essentially, capillarity are the forces (cohesion and adhesion) that allow water to rise within a narrow tube, without the input of energy. However, some may describe it as being simply the phenomenon of the water rising.

Hope that helps :p
 

future-doctor

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Wait why is this in the chemistry section? Why do you need to know about capillarity in chemistry?
 

Carrotsticks

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Yeah it's used in Bio for movement of water through the xylem in plants.
 

future-doctor

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Lol exactly! I've never seen/heard the word capillarity in chemistry, in biology it is used numerous times.
 

kr73114

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Essentially, capillarity are the forces (cohesion and adhesion) that allow water to rise within a narrow tube, without the input of energy. However, some may describe it as being simply the phenomenon of the water rising.

Hope that helps :p
thanks, so is it passive movement?
 

Trebla

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Lol exactly! I've never seen/heard the word capillarity in chemistry, in biology it is used numerous times.
Capillarity is commonly explored in physical chemistry (it is actually more of a physics concept). It's not just only applicable in plants and biology, for example good sponges that hold water require capillarity.
 

MzG1zi

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please explain why you need to know what capillarity is in chemistry?
its in the water topic. capillarity is the tendency of a liquid to rise up or fall down tubes right? well the up and down movement is a result of the unbalanced forces (suface tension) of the liquid. and water has surface tension due to its hydrogen bonding :)
someone correct me if im wrong please
 

kr73114

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its in the water topic. capillarity is the tendency of a liquid to rise up or fall down tubes right? well the up and down movement is a result of the unbalanced forces (suface tension) of the liquid. and water has surface tension due to its hydrogen bonding :)
someone correct me if im wrong please
did u write that on ur assignment?
 

future-doctor

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Hmmmm capillarity in regards to physics, interesting :)

Oh yeh thats right the water module. My crap chem teacher probably skipped it like most of the topics in prelim and hsc chem lol.
 
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nat_doc

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u watch water go up the pipe and oil not go up.... something about cohession and adhession forces
 

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