The discussion centers on the behavior of mercury in water during Andrews' CO2 experiment, specifically why mercury does not fall and is instead displaced by water. The key reason is that water cannot slip past mercury due to its higher density and the strong surface tension of mercury, creating a metastable situation. Gravity acts on mercury, but the inability of air to replace the water leads to a stable configuration where both liquids remain in place. A practical experiment with a bottle demonstrates the principles of liquid displacement and air pressure.
PREREQUISITESStudents and educators in physics, researchers interested in fluid dynamics, and anyone seeking to understand the interactions between different liquid densities and behaviors in experimental setups.
It physically can't insert itself between the mercury and the glass of the tube and the surface tension of mercury is too strong for bubbles of water to form inside the mercury.akashpandey said:I am still confuse because densities are different so water should slip past the mercury.