What is capillary action? How does it depend on the relative strengths of adhesive and cohesive forces?

Match the words in the left column to the appropriate blanks in the sentences on the right. Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow

Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow Blank, droppable gravity up a narrow tube. Capillary action results from a combination of two forces: the attraction between molecules in a liquid, called Blank, droppable forces, and the attraction between these molecules and the surface of the tube, called Blank, droppable forces. The Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to spread out over the surface of the tube, while the Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to stay together. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for water in a glass tube), the attraction to the surface draws the liquid up the tube while the cohesive forces pull along those molecules that are not in direct contact with the tube walls. The liquid rises up the tube until the force of gravity balances the capillary actionthe thinner the tube, the Blank, droppable the rise. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for liquid mercury), the liquid does not rise up the tube at all (and, in fact, will drop to a level below the level of the surrounding liquid).

gravity up a narrow tube. Capillary action results from a combination of two forces: the attraction between molecules in a liquid, called

Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow Blank, droppable gravity up a narrow tube. Capillary action results from a combination of two forces: the attraction between molecules in a liquid, called Blank, droppable forces, and the attraction between these molecules and the surface of the tube, called Blank, droppable forces. The Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to spread out over the surface of the tube, while the Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to stay together. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for water in a glass tube), the attraction to the surface draws the liquid up the tube while the cohesive forces pull along those molecules that are not in direct contact with the tube walls. The liquid rises up the tube until the force of gravity balances the capillary actionthe thinner the tube, the Blank, droppable the rise. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for liquid mercury), the liquid does not rise up the tube at all (and, in fact, will drop to a level below the level of the surrounding liquid).

forces, and the attraction between these molecules and the surface of the tube, called

Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow Blank, droppable gravity up a narrow tube. Capillary action results from a combination of two forces: the attraction between molecules in a liquid, called Blank, droppable forces, and the attraction between these molecules and the surface of the tube, called Blank, droppable forces. The Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to spread out over the surface of the tube, while the Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to stay together. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for water in a glass tube), the attraction to the surface draws the liquid up the tube while the cohesive forces pull along those molecules that are not in direct contact with the tube walls. The liquid rises up the tube until the force of gravity balances the capillary actionthe thinner the tube, the Blank, droppable the rise. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for liquid mercury), the liquid does not rise up the tube at all (and, in fact, will drop to a level below the level of the surrounding liquid).

forces. The

Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow Blank, droppable gravity up a narrow tube. Capillary action results from a combination of two forces: the attraction between molecules in a liquid, called Blank, droppable forces, and the attraction between these molecules and the surface of the tube, called Blank, droppable forces. The Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to spread out over the surface of the tube, while the Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to stay together. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for water in a glass tube), the attraction to the surface draws the liquid up the tube while the cohesive forces pull along those molecules that are not in direct contact with the tube walls. The liquid rises up the tube until the force of gravity balances the capillary actionthe thinner the tube, the Blank, droppable the rise. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for liquid mercury), the liquid does not rise up the tube at all (and, in fact, will drop to a level below the level of the surrounding liquid).

forces cause the liquid to spread out over the surface of the tube, while the

Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow Blank, droppable gravity up a narrow tube. Capillary action results from a combination of two forces: the attraction between molecules in a liquid, called Blank, droppable forces, and the attraction between these molecules and the surface of the tube, called Blank, droppable forces. The Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to spread out over the surface of the tube, while the Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to stay together. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for water in a glass tube), the attraction to the surface draws the liquid up the tube while the cohesive forces pull along those molecules that are not in direct contact with the tube walls. The liquid rises up the tube until the force of gravity balances the capillary actionthe thinner the tube, the Blank, droppable the rise. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for liquid mercury), the liquid does not rise up the tube at all (and, in fact, will drop to a level below the level of the surrounding liquid).

forces cause the liquid to stay together. If the adhesive forces are

Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow Blank, droppable gravity up a narrow tube. Capillary action results from a combination of two forces: the attraction between molecules in a liquid, called Blank, droppable forces, and the attraction between these molecules and the surface of the tube, called Blank, droppable forces. The Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to spread out over the surface of the tube, while the Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to stay together. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for water in a glass tube), the attraction to the surface draws the liquid up the tube while the cohesive forces pull along those molecules that are not in direct contact with the tube walls. The liquid rises up the tube until the force of gravity balances the capillary actionthe thinner the tube, the Blank, droppable the rise. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for liquid mercury), the liquid does not rise up the tube at all (and, in fact, will drop to a level below the level of the surrounding liquid).

than the cohesive forces (as is the case for water in a glass tube), the attraction to the surface draws the liquid up the tube while the cohesive forces pull along those molecules that are not in direct contact with the tube walls. The liquid rises up the tube until the force of gravity balances the capillary actionthe thinner the tube, the

Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow Blank, droppable gravity up a narrow tube. Capillary action results from a combination of two forces: the attraction between molecules in a liquid, called Blank, droppable forces, and the attraction between these molecules and the surface of the tube, called Blank, droppable forces. The Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to spread out over the surface of the tube, while the Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to stay together. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for water in a glass tube), the attraction to the surface draws the liquid up the tube while the cohesive forces pull along those molecules that are not in direct contact with the tube walls. The liquid rises up the tube until the force of gravity balances the capillary actionthe thinner the tube, the Blank, droppable the rise. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for liquid mercury), the liquid does not rise up the tube at all (and, in fact, will drop to a level below the level of the surrounding liquid).

the rise. If the adhesive forces are

Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow Blank, droppable gravity up a narrow tube. Capillary action results from a combination of two forces: the attraction between molecules in a liquid, called Blank, droppable forces, and the attraction between these molecules and the surface of the tube, called Blank, droppable forces. The Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to spread out over the surface of the tube, while the Blank, droppable forces cause the liquid to stay together. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for water in a glass tube), the attraction to the surface draws the liquid up the tube while the cohesive forces pull along those molecules that are not in direct contact with the tube walls. The liquid rises up the tube until the force of gravity balances the capillary actionthe thinner the tube, the Blank, droppable the rise. If the adhesive forces are Blank, droppable than the cohesive forces (as is the case for liquid mercury), the liquid does not rise up the tube at all (and, in fact, will drop to a level below the level of the surrounding liquid).

than the cohesive forces (as is the case for liquid mercury), the liquid does not rise up the tube at all (and, in fact, will drop to a level below the level of the surrounding liquid).