Why is low surface energy important for water droplets on hydrophobic surfaces?

AI Thread Summary
Low surface energy is crucial for water droplets on hydrophobic surfaces because it minimizes the total energy of the system. When water forms droplets, it reduces its surface area to volume ratio, which is energetically favorable. The total energy is not conserved but minimized, as it comprises both surface energy and bulk phase energy. Surface energy is variable and depends on the surface tension, while bulk phase energy remains relatively constant. Understanding this balance helps explain the behavior of water on hydrophobic materials.
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a thin film of water has surface tension due to the strong bonds present on the surface in order to counteract the net downward force and this increases the potential energy of the surface layer of particles therefore on a
hydrophobic surface it forms a water droplet , my question is since it forms a water droplet reducing it surface area to volume ratio ;why is having a low surface energy so important because the total energy is conserved anyway ?
 
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Total energy is not conserved; it is minimized for whatever specific case happens to hold.
 
can you explain why it is not conserved ?
 
Total energy equals the sum of surface energy plus bulk phase energy, and that is surface area times surface tension (variable) plus bulk phase (essentially a constant).
 

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