Physics: Capillary action

Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Capillary action Capillary action (sometimes called capillarity, capillary motion, capillary rise, capillary effect, or wicking) is the process of a liquid flowing in a narrow space without the assistance of external forces like gravity.

Commentary

Source: Wikipedia

Capillary action Capillary action (sometimes ca lled capillarity, capillary motion, capillary rise, capillary effect, or wicking) is the process of a liquid flowing in a narrow space without the assistance of external forces like gravity.

Commentary

Source: Internal

What is Capillary action, and why does it matter? This concept appears everywhere in physics. Once you understand it, a wide range of natural phenomena start to make sense.

Commentary

Source: Wikipedia

Deep dive: Capillary action Capillary action (sometimes called capillarity, capillary motion, capillary rise, capillary effect, or wicking) is the process of a liqu id flowing in a narrow space without the assistance of external forces like gravity. The effect can be seen in the drawing up of liquids between the hairs of a paint brush, in a thin tube such as a straw, in porous materials such as paper and plaster, in some non-porous materials such as clay and liquefied carbon fiber, or in biological cells. It occurs because of intermolecular forces between the liquid and surrounding solid surfaces. If the diameter of the tube is sufficiently small, then the combination of surface tension (which is caused by cohesion within the liquid) and adhesive forces between the liquid and container wall act to propel the liquid.