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Surface Tension - Using hot soapy water to wash clothes
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[QUOTE="256bits, post: 6371269, member: 328943"] Some other terms are wettability, surfactants, hydrophilic, hydrophobic surfaces and molecules if you want to explore further. The fabric, say a shirt, is usually dry when added to the wash. Being dry, air is surrounding all the fibres, which instead of the one layer shown would be of several layers, as threads are made up of long fibres twisted together, and weaved together to make the cloth. If soiled after wearing, the fabric can contain dirt and other extraneous particles within and around the fibres. To flush out these particles, water has to be able to penetrate into the small spaces between the fibres, enclose the particle and move it away from the fabric. Surface tension of the water hinders this process. the water may just "bead" on the surface and not penetrate into the "pores", and displace the air. Why do you say that? ie a sphere has the maximum surface area per volume. Compare for the same volume , the ratio of surface area / volume for a sphere, cube, or any other shape. [/QUOTE]
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Surface Tension - Using hot soapy water to wash clothes
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