Rise of Water in a 20 cm Capillary Tube

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a 20 cm long capillary tube dipped in water, where the water rises to 8 cm. The scenario changes when the tube is placed in a freely falling elevator, prompting questions about the behavior of the water column under these conditions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to reason about the effects of weightlessness on the fluid in the capillary tube and questions whether the fluid will overflow or remain at the 20 cm mark. Other participants discuss the balance of forces at play, including surface tension and adhesive forces, and their implications for the fluid's behavior.

Discussion Status

Participants are exploring different interpretations of the fluid dynamics involved in the scenario. Some guidance has been offered regarding the behavior of the fluid at the end of the tube, but there is no explicit consensus on the outcome of the fluid's behavior in the falling elevator.

Contextual Notes

There is an ongoing discussion about the assumptions related to the behavior of the fluid in a capillary tube under varying gravitational conditions, including the effects of surface tension and the nature of the liquid used.

vissh
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hello :)

Homework Statement


(Q)A 20 cm long capillary tube is dipped in water.The water rises up to 8 cm . If the entire arrangement is put in a freely falling elevator, the length of water column in the capillary tube will be
<a>8 cm <b>6 cm <c>10 cm <d>20 cm

Homework Equations



The Attempt at a Solution


From the elevator frame, the fluid will be weightless and only force on the "fluid in capillary's" upper part will be S[2(pie)r]cosA upwards{where A is the contact angle}
It will make the fluid rise and rise and reach 20 cm.
I want to ask will the fluid then overflow or will remain at the 20 cm mark.
I think It will overflow as the acceleration will be upwards and even if the acceleration vanishes, due to velocity gained by fluid,it should overflow.
What you think oO
Thanks for reading ^.^
 
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The adhesive force and the surface tension are independent of gravitational force. when the liquid reaches the en of the tube, instead of overflowing, it forms a hemispherical surface. At the edge, force due to surface tension balance the adhesive force between liquid and glass. hence the liquid doe not overflow.
 
Thanks :)
One more question :- Will the hemisphere upwards or downwards?? Or it depends on capillary tube and the liquid taken??
 
vissh said:
Thanks :)
One more question :- Will the hemisphere upwards or downwards?? Or it depends on capillary tube and the liquid taken??
Hemisphere will be upwards except in mercury. but mercury will not rise in the capillary.
 
Thanku :)
 
vissh said:
Thanku :)

welcome.
 

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