In a capillary tube experiment, a vertical 30 cm long capillary tube is dipped in water. The wa

step 1 In this question we have given that a capillary tube experiment, a vertical 30 semi long capilla

In a capillary tube experiment, a vertical 30 cm long...

In a capillary tube experiment, a vertical $30 \mathrm{~cm}$ long capillary tube is dipped in water. The water rises upto a height of $10 \mathrm{~cm}$ due to capillary action. If this experiment is conducted in a freely falling elevator, the length of the water column becomes (a) $10 \mathrm{~cm}$ (b) $20 \mathrm{~cm}$ (c) $30 \mathrm{~cm}$ (d) zero

In a capillary tube experiment, a vertical $30 \mathrm{~cm}$ long capillary tube is dipped in water. The water rises upto a height of $10 \mathrm{~cm}$ due to capillary action. If this experiment is conducted in a freely falling elevator, the length of the water column becomes
(a) $10 \mathrm{~cm}$
(b) $20 \mathrm{~cm}$
(c) $30 \mathrm{~cm}$
(d) zero

Key Concepts

Free Fall and Apparent Weightlessness

In free fall, all objects, including fluids, experience an acceleration equal to that of gravity, effectively canceling out the gravitational force. This condition of apparent weightlessness eliminates the hydrostatic pressure gradient normally present in a stationary fluid, thereby nullifying the forces that drive capillary action, which would result in the absence of the typical liquid rise in a capillary tube.

Hydrostatic Pressure

Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid at rest due to the force of gravity. In the context of a capillary tube, the variation in hydrostatic pressure along the height of the liquid column is balanced by the upward pull of surface tension, and this equilibrium determines the height to which the liquid rises.

Capillary Action

Capillary action is the phenomenon where a liquid rises or falls in a narrow tube due to the interplay between adhesive forces (between the liquid and tube material) and cohesive forces (within the liquid). This action explains how even a small tube can cause a significant rise of a liquid, as is observable in experiments and many natural occurrences.

Surface Tension

Surface tension is the property of a liquid's surface resulting from cohesive forces among its molecules, which makes the surface behave like a stretched elastic membrane. This force is critical in capillary action because it acts along the liquid interface and influences the curvature of the meniscus, thereby controlling the extent of liquid rise in a capillary tube.

Transcript

Please give Ace some feedback