Does capillary action use water heat energy?

[DannyShem]

Capillary action is a form of work, i.e. an object (water) moved by a force (capillary action) over a distance.

Since all work requires energy, what supplies the energy for capillary action? Is the chemical energy of the water increased by adhering to a surface? Perhaps the heat energy of the water is somehow converted into the potential energy as water is raised up?

Thanks in advance,
DannyShem

 

[mjc123]

Capillary action is driven by the reduction in surface energy on replacing (say) a glass/air interface with a glass/water interface. Water creeps up the glass surface, displacing air, and reducing the surface energy while increasing the gravitational potential energy. It stops when the increase in potential energy would outweigh the reduction in surface energy.

 

[DannyShem]

Thanks for this reply.

Aside from the increase in gravitational potential energy, does the adhesion of the water to the glass absorb some of the energy as well?

Or does the change in the water surface from cohesion to adhesion occur with no change in energy levels?