How surface energy is related to surface area?

Surface energy can be defined as the energy required per unit area to increase the size of the surface, and as such is often quoted in units of mN/m. Figure 1: A basic depiction of bonding in a solid, showing balanced interactions in the bulk and unbalanced interactions at the surface.

What is surface energy find the relation between surface tension and surface energy?

So, surface tension of a liquid is equal to the work done in increasing the surface area of its free surface by one unit. In other words, surface tension is equal to surface energy per unit area. Es=TΔA.

What is the relationship between surface area and surface tension?

If we increase the area of the liquid surface we increase its energy, and that means we have to do work on it. If we do work we must have been exerting a force on the boundaries of the surface, and the force per unit length of the boundary is what we call the surface tension.

What is surface energy formula?

Surface energy = Energy × [Area]-1. Or, E = [M1 L2 T-2] × [M0 L2 T0]-1 = [M1 L0 T-2]. Therefore, the surface energy is dimensionally represented as [M1 L0 T-2].

What affects surface energy?

Cutting a solid body into pieces disrupts its bonds and increases the surface area, and therefore increases surface energy. If the cutting is done reversibly, then conservation of energy means that the energy consumed by the cutting process will be equal to the energy inherent in the two new surfaces created.

What is the change in surface energy?

Change in surface energy is equal to the product of the surface tension and change in surface area.

How is surface energy equal to surface tension?

Surface Tension (σ): It is measured as force acting per unit length of an imaginary line drawn on liquid surface. Surface Energy: It is the work done in increasing the area of the surface film by a unit amount. Hence surface energy is numerically equivalent to its surface tension.

What is the relation between surface tension and angle of contact?

The contact angle is a measure of the ability of a liquid to wet the surface of a solid. The shape that a drop takes on a surface depends on the surface tension of the fluid and the nature of the surface. At the boundary between droplets and the gaseous environment, the surface tension causes a curved contour.

Why is surface tension also called surface energy?

Surface tension has the dimension of force per unit length, or of energy per unit area. The two are equivalent, but when referring to energy per unit of area, it is common to use the term surface energy, which is a more general term in the sense that it applies also to solids.

Why do surface molecules have more energy?

However, at surface, liquid molecule experience unbalanced attractive forces by nearby liquid molecules, as above the surface only vapour exists. Hence the surface molecule experience a typical tensive force from the bulk, which cannot be balanced from surface. Hence, energy at the surface is higher.

What causes surface energy?

The surface tension arises due to cohesive interactions between the molecules in the liquid. At the bulk of the liquid, the molecules have neighboring molecules on each side. As explained, the cohesive force between the molecules causes surface tension. The stronger the cohesive force, the stronger the surface tension.

What is SI unit of surface energy?

The SI unit of surface energy is Joules/m2 or Newton/meter(N/m). If the surface is less then the liquid surface will exert high surface energy (Ex: metals, Oxides, Ceramics).