CHM170L Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory

4th Quarter SY 2016-2017

Surface Tension of Liquids

Premarion, Matthew M.1, Rivera, Hazel Anne T.1, Villaflor, Shekinah Mae J.1
1
Student(s), CHM170L /B40, School of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biotechnology, Mapua Institute of Technology

ABSTRACT
The surface tension in liquid, typically measured in dynes per centimeters, happens when surface molecules do not have the
same molecules on their respective sides that they more firmly cohere consequently to those they are closely associated
with on the same surface. This tension creates a film-like surface that makes mobility of full submersed objects difficult. For
this experiment, the objectives are: to measure the surface tension of a pure liquid and of an aqueous solution, to determine
the effect of bulk solute concentration on the surface tension of aqueous solution, and to evaluate graphically the parameters
of the Gibbs Isotherm. Eight different concentrations of n-Butanol ranging from 0.10 mole/liter to 0.80 mole/liter was
calculated and diluted with 50 mL of water. The procedure with tensionmeter was done thrice for water and quintuple for n-
Butanol. It was then noted that the surface tension of a solution can be affected by the amount of solute in the solution and
the temperature affects the surface tension of a solution as well. The increase in the amount of the solute decreases the
surface tension of the solution is inversely proportional to the surface tension. The temperature of the solution increases is
inversely proportional to its surface tension.

Keywords: surface tension, tensionmeter, n-Butanol, Gibbs Isotherm,

INTRODUCTION

In order to understand this experiment, we go back to the The solutions concentration and temperature were the two
definition of liquids. Liquid is one of the states of matter, factors, which then illustrated by the following equation:
wherein molecules in a liquid state are closely together and
can take up the said container. The molecules in a liquid
U/C = -1/RT (dy/dC)
are attracted inward since the number of molecules per unit
volume is greater in this state and as a result, the liquids
surface tends to contract the smallest possible area. In
order for liquids to assume the shape of the container, it is
in the lowest possible free energy at a given temperature U/C = -1/RT (dy/dlnC)
and pressure.
Where y is the surface tension (dynes/cm)
C is known as the bulk concentration (moles/cubic cm); and
The surface tension is the required work necessary to u is the surface concentration (moles/ squared cm). If the
break or change the shape of a solution, as work is a free energy decreases due to the lowering of the surface
necessity when it comes to changing or breaking a shape tension, which is balanced by an opposing, free energy-
or area of the surface. In terms of increasing the surface increase of the solute concentrations non-uniformity.
area, the work involved is the surface free energy.
Similarly, the interfacial tension is the force equivalent to the
In determining the surface tension, the methods used are
surface boundary wherein the interfacial free energy is the
group into either: the static and the dynamic method. For
work needed to enlarge the said surface of the miscibility of
this experiment, the static method: tensionmeter-ring
a liquid.
method is used. It measures the small force the ring makes
to pull it away from the surface of a liquid.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Experiment #5 Group No. 5 25th of July, 2016 1 of 3

 CHM170L Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory
4th Quarter SY 2016-2017

The temperature of water was measured with the use
of a thermometer. Then eight different concentrations
of n-Butanol ranging from 0.10 mole/liter to 0.80
mole/liter was calculated and diluted with 50 mL of
water. After dilution, the tensionmeter was reset to
zero then the distilled water was transferred into a
glassware. The platinum ring was carefully hanged in
the string. Take note that the string or the platinum
ring should not be swinging. Then the up button was
pressed until a bubble like will popped up. After that,
the peak button was pressed followed by the down
button then the surface tension for water was
measured. The platinum ring was carefully removed
from the tensionmeter and was placed in a soft tissue.
This method was repeated three times for water and
five times for n-Butanol.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Six solutions of n-Butanol were made, with a constant

0.5mL of distilled water to dilute the sample for every
Table 1.1 Surface Tension
increasing concentration. According to Table 1.2, the
Mean Literature Mean Difference surface tension both the determined measurement
given by the Tensionmeter and the corrected value
91.43 dynes/cm 72 dynes/cm -19.43 dynes/cm
constantly decreased with each increasing
Upon the completion of the third experiment Surface concentration of the solution. This occurs because the
Tension of Liquids the following tables were concluded. solutions, with an increased concentration of the n-
Table 1.1 was determined in order to determine the Butanol, has a surface tension that breaks more easily
difference or the correction for the data that came after, with than water. As water (H2O) has more hydrogen bonding
the literature mean surface tension of water at 25C, which than alcohols (ROH) in this case, n-Butanol this
was 72 dynes/cm. The mean surface tension of distilled allows water to be more stable and strongly attracted to
water was subtracted from the literature mean surface itself. With n-Butanol having one H-O bond for every
tension of water. molecule and a longer chain than water, the molecules
are further apart in comparison to water.

Table 1.2 Surface Tension of n-Butanol at Different

(Equation 1)
Concentrations

Concentration (mol/L) measured corrected

0.10 74.5 55.07

0.20 64.0 44.57

0.30 56.6 37.17

0.40 52.8 33.37

Figure 1

Experiment #5 Group No. 5 25th of July, 2016 2 of 3

 CHM170L Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory
4th Quarter SY 2016-2017
The trend of decreasing surface tension for an increase in
concentration in solution can be observed in Figure 1 on
the left showing the graph of Surface tension of n-Butanol
vs. ln C. The correlation between the points was
determined to be 0.9847, indicating of the experiment a
CONCLUSION
Upon completion of the experiment, the data were analyzed
and it can be summed up that the surface tension of a
solution can be affected by the amount of solute in the
solution. The increase in the amount of the solute, in this
case, n-Butanol, decreases the surface tension of the
solution, noting that the amount of solute is inversely
proportional to the surface tension. Also, the temperature
affects the surface tension of a solution. As the temperature
REFERENCES
Experiment #5 Group No. 5 25th of July, 2016
success. This analysis shows and proves that with each
increase in concentration of the n-Butanol, the surface
tensions decreases. When computed, the surface
concentration is 5.97 x 10-3 mol/m2, whereas the surface
area for every molecule is 2.62 x 10-22 m2/mol.
of the solution increases, the surface tension decreases,
concluding that, like the amount of solute, the temperature
of the solution is inversely proportional to its surface
tension. These conclusions can be proven by plotting the
Gibbs isotherm which relates the surface tension to the bulk
concentration of the solution. A successful performance of
this experiment shows a downward trend on the graph
plotted.
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