(a) What is surface tension? (b) State two methods by which the surface tension of a liquid can be reduced.

Assessment: WAEC SSCE - Physics - 1999 (Essay) Subject: Physics

Question 1 Report

(a) What is surface tension?

(b) State two methods by which the surface tension of a liquid can be reduced.

Answer Details

(a) Surface tension is the force per unit length acting along (and at right angles to) an imaginary line drawn in the free surface of a liquid, tending to make the surface behave like a stretched elastic skin and to contract to the smallest possible area. Its unit is \(\text{N m}^{-1}\).

(b) Two methods of reducing the surface tension of a liquid:

  1. Raising the temperature of the liquid.
  2. Adding impurities such as soap, detergent or oil (surfactants) to the liquid.

Download The App On Google Playstore

Everything you need to excel in your exams

Green Bridge CBT Mobile App
Personalized AI Learning Chat Assistant
200,000+ Exam Questions Across IGCSE, JAMB, WAEC & NECO
Over 3,900 Lesson Notes
Offline Support - Learn Anytime, Anywhere
Green Bridge Timetable
Literature Summaries & Potential Questions
Track Your Performance & Progress
In-depth Explanations for Comprehensive Learning