Capillary Rise in Tube: What Happens if Length is Insufficient?

AI Thread Summary
When a capillary tube is shortened to a height less than the height of the water column it can support, water will not flow out of the tube. The relationship between the height of the water column (h) and the radius of curvature (R) of the meniscus indicates that as the height decreases, the radius of the meniscus must increase. This implies that the curvature of the meniscus becomes less pronounced, affecting the capillary action. The meniscus's curvature is influenced by the surface tension and adhesive forces between the water and the tube's material. Understanding these principles clarifies the behavior of liquids in capillary tubes of varying lengths.
Joel Jacon
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What happen when the capillary rise occur in a tube of insufficient length?

My teacher told me that hR = constant where h is height and R is radius of sphere of which the curved surface of meniscus firm a part.
She also told me that if h become less so R has to increase so radius of meniscus has to be large.

I didn't really get what she's meant.

If we take a capillary tube of height h and put it in water then, the tube become filled with water till height h. Now if we break a tube to make it of height less than h then will water flow out?
 
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This is homework.
Joel Jacon said:
radius of meniscus has to be large.
How large can the radius become? What does that imply?
Joel Jacon said:
will water flow out?
Work out the first question and the answer to this becomes obvious.
 
I told that I didn't understand what the teacher told. Any link on web that explain it would be helpful.
This is not a homework question.
 
I'll ask once more:
Bystander said:
How large can the radius become? What does that imply?
 
I told that's what my teacher said. If I had known the meaning I wouldn't have asked the question.
 
I can tell that someone has not explained this to you very well, or you were not listening!

All you need to know is that the curves of a meniscus are in effect pulling up the water, they are attracted to the glass. In a small tube the pulling area is a large proportion of the surface area and will be able to pull the water high and vice versa.
 
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