When is capillary action important

Capillary action acts on concave menisci to pull the liquid up, increasing the favorable contact area between liquid and container, and on convex menisci to pull the liquid down, reducing the amount of contact area. When considering how liquids will behave on surfaces, if the liquid molecules are strongly attracted to the solid molecules then the liquid drop will completely spread out on the solid surface.

This is often the case for water on bare metallic or ceramic surfaces. The phenomenon of capillary action is important in the transport of water and nutrients in plants through the process of transpiration. Boundless vets and curates high-quality, openly licensed content from around the Internet. This particular resource used the following sources:.

Skip to main content. Liquids and Solids. Search for:. Capillary Action. Learning Objective Distinguish capillary action from other forces. Although capillary action is ubiquitous in the natural world, it was not formally identified until the late 15th century by Leonardo da Vinci—the first of several renowned scientists who became preoccupied with the phenomenon.

In , more than a century later, Robert Boyle, an Irish chemist, performed experiments to investigate it. However, it was not until the early 19th century that two investigators presented a quantitative explanation. In , Carl Friedrich Gauss tweaked the mathematical expression. Technically, he factored in "conditional boundaries" relating to the "liquid-solid interface. It was the first paper Einstein published.

Besides the history of celebrated researchers who explored capillary action, it is worth noting that the phenomenon occurs all the time, everywhere, and when you stop to think about it, its manifestations are awe-inspiring.

Another example is when your eye waters. It is capillary action that allows the tear ducts in our eyes to release tear fluid. The process cleanses the eye and clears all the dust and particles around the ducts of the eye. Capillary action is also responsible for a vital step plants take to feed themselves. Plant a seed, and when that seed sprouts—when the roots take hold of the soil—you feed the bud by pouring water into the base of the pot, or the floor of the garden.

The roots of plants absorb the moisture in the dirt through capillary action. Trees take in water, provide oxygen to our atmosphere, branch heavenward, flower and bear fruit, because of capillary action.

Although they are merely theorizing at this point, scientists have imagined using capillary action to create renewable energy. The idea is that water could climb upward through capillaries, evaporate when it reaches the top, condense and then drop back down to the bottom, spinning a turbine on its way to creating energy.

Capillary action could in effect create electricity. Did Ganesha drink milk on September 21, ? We have plenty of scientific evidence to suggest otherwise; capillary action was once again in play. But does that mean that reverence has no place in our experiencing the phenomenon? It is the movement of water in and out of your cellular structure that deposits vitamins, nutrients, and vital blood plasma.

Without this flow, your body's cells would not rehydrate and vital communication between your brain and body would slow. So just what is a simple definition of capillary action? It is defined as the movement of water within the spaces of a porous material due to the forces of adhesion, cohesion, and surface tension.

Surface tension is a measure of the strength of the water's surface film. The attraction between the water molecules creates a strong film, which among other common liquids is only surpassed by that of mercury.

This surface tension permits water to hold up substances heavier and denser than itself. A steel needle carefully placed on the surface of a glass of water will float. Some aquatic insects such as the water strider rely on surface tension to walk on water.

This helps pull more water into the plant to keep the xylem tubes filled, continuing the cycle of water uptake. Explain the needs of plants by observing the effect of capillary action. Per Student or Group: celery stalk with leaves attached 2 tall, straight-walled drinking glasses or jars water red and blue food colouring sharp knife. How do plants get water from under the ground?

How does water travel into different parts of plants? What kind of plants have stems that we eat? What foods that we eat store a lot of water in them? Details Activity Length 45 mins. Objectives Explain the needs of plants by observing the effect of capillary action. Materials Per Student or Group: celery stalk with leaves attached 2 tall, straight-walled drinking glasses or jars water red and blue food colouring sharp knife Key Questions How do plants get water from under the ground?

What To Do Cut the bottom of the stem or stalk with a sharp knife to freshly expose the xylem.