THE PRACTICE STUDIO

Go slowly. Ask why. Make it yours.

PRACTICE · MEMBERSIntermediate · Single correct

PRACTICE / Capillarity

Read the sign at a depressed meniscus

A liquid in a narrow vertical tube has contact angle 120°, surface tension 0.060 N/m, density 800 kg/m³ and tube radius 0.30 mm. The tube and reservoir share the same gas pressure. Take g = 10 m/s² and neglect meniscus volume.

What is liquid pressure just beneath the meniscus minus gas pressure above it?

Organize the givens & assumptions
  • θ = 120°
  • S = 0.060 N/m
  • r = 0.30 mm
  • ρ = 800 kg/m³
  • g = 10 m/s²

Static or initially equilibrated interfaces, constant uniform surface tension, negligible gravity-induced shape distortion where spherical or cylindrical curvature is specified, and negligible evaporation. Capillary heights use the narrow-tube model with equal gas pressures and a large reservoir.

  1. A−200 Pa-200\ \mathrm{Pa}
  2. B+400 Pa+400\ \mathrm{Pa}
  3. C0 Pa0\ \mathrm{Pa}
  4. D+200 Pa+200\ \mathrm{Pa}

Try it on paper first. Free sample problems in every collection include the complete reasoning: find one in this collection →