Why is the surface of water in a graduated cylinder curved?

There are two opposing forces here: cohesion and adhesion .

Cohesion makes the molecules stick as close together as they can. This explains why water droplets tend to be spherical.

Adhesion makes molecules stick to other surfaces, e.g. glass. This is due to the attraction of the polar water molecules for the polar glass molecules (##”SiO”_2″##).

With just water, there are no other surfaces to stick to, and cohesion wins (hence the round droplets of water, or water drops rolling off an impregated surface). If the polar water molecules can stick to a surface, adhesion wins and you will get a concave (hollow) surface.

Mercury does not adhere to glass, so mercury in a cylinder will curve the other way – convex.

In a graduated cylinder you would read the water level from the bottom of the curvature, and the mercury level from the top. You will think you misread, but it would be a tiny amount (=the raised ‘rim’ of the water), but this will be small, unless the cylinder is very narrow. Besides, the makers of these cylinders have taken this into account while graduating it.

The actual curve is called a meniscus. In water’s case, you have a concave meniscus.

Show more







Calculate Your Essay Price
(550 words)

Approximate price: $22

Calculate the price of your order

550 words
We'll send you the first draft for approval by September 11, 2018 at 10:52 AM
Total price:
$26
The price is based on these factors:
Academic level
Number of pages
Urgency
Basic features
  • Free title page and bibliography
  • Unlimited revisions
  • Plagiarism-free guarantee
  • Money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 support
On-demand options
  • Writer’s samples
  • Part-by-part delivery
  • Overnight delivery
  • Copies of used sources
  • Expert Proofreading
Paper format
  • 275 words per page
  • 12 pt Arial/Times New Roman
  • Double line spacing
  • Any citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard)

Our guarantees

Delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price is not enough anymore.
That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.

Money-back guarantee

You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.

Read more

Zero-plagiarism guarantee

Each paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.

Read more

Free-revision policy

Thanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.

Read more

Privacy policy

Your email is safe, as we store it according to international data protection rules. Your bank details are secure, as we use only reliable payment systems.

Read more

Fair-cooperation guarantee

By sending us your money, you buy the service we provide. Check out our terms and conditions if you prefer business talks to be laid out in official language.

Read more

Order your essay today and save 10% with the coupon code: best10