Table of Surface-Tension at 20° C. (Quincke).
| Liquid. | Specific Gravity. | Tension of surface separating the liquid from | Angle of contact with glass in presence of | ||||
| Air. | Water. | Mercury. | Air. | Water. | Mercury. | ||
| Water | 1 | 81 | · · | 418 | 25° 32′ | · · | 25° 6′ |
| Mercury | 13.5432 | 540 | 418 | · · | 51° 8′ | 26° 8′ | · · |
| Bisulfuride of Carbon | 1.2687 | 32.1 | 41.75 | 372.5 | 32° 16′ | 15° 8′ | · · |
| Chloroform | 1.4878 | 30.6 | 29.5 | 399 | · · | · · | · · |
| Alcohol | 0.7906 | 25.5 | · · | 399 | 25° 12′ | · · | · · |
| Olive Oil | 0.9136 | 36.9 | 20.56 | 335 | 21° 50′ | 17° | 47° 2′ |
| Turpentine | 0.8867 | 29.7 | 11.55 | 250.5 | 37° 44′ | 37° 44′ | 47° 2′ |
| Petroleum | 0.7977 | 31.7 | 27.8 | 284 | 36° 20′ | 42° 46′ | · · |
| Hydrochloric Acid | 1.1 | 70.1 | · · | 377 | · · | 42° 46′ | · · |
| Solution of Hyposulphite of Soda | 1.1248 | 77.5 | · · | 442.5 | 23° 20′ | · · | 10° 42′ |
| Olive Oil and Alcohol, 12.2. | |||||||
| Olive oil and aqueous alcohol (sp. g. .9231, tension of free surface25.5), 6.8, angle 87° 48′. | |||||||
Quincke has determined the surface-tension of a great many substances near their point of fusion or solidification. His method was that of observing the form of a large drop standing on a plane surface. If K is the height of the flat surface of the drop, and k that of the point where its tangent plane is vertical, then
T = ½(K − k)²gρ
Quincke finds that for several series of substances the surface-tension is nearly proportional to the density, so that if we call (K - k)² = 2T/gρ the specific cohesion, we may state the general results of his experiments as follows:—
Surface-Tensions of Liquids at their Point of Solidification. From Quincke.
| Substance. | Temperature of Solidification. | Surface- Tension. |
| Platinum | 2000° C. | 1658 |
| Gold | 1200° | 983 |
| Zinc | 360° | 860 |
| Tin | 230° | 587 |
| Mercury | −40° | 577 |
| Lead | 330° | 448 |
| Silver | 1000° | 419 |
| Bismuth | 265° | 382 |
| Potassium | 58° | 364 |
| Sodium | 90° | 253 |
| Antimony | 432° | 244 |
| Borax | 1000° | 212 |
| Carbonate of Soda | 1000° | 206 |
| Chloride of Sodium | · · | 114 |
| Water | 0° | 86.2 |
| Selenium | 217° | 70.4 |
| Sulphur | 111° | 41.3 |
| Phosphorus | 43° | 41.1 |
| Wax | 68° | 33.4 |
The bromides and iodides have a specific cohesion about half that of mercury. The nitrates, chlorides, sugars and fats, as also the metals lead, bismuth and antimony, have a specific cohesion nearly equal to that of mercury. Water, the carbonates and sulphates, and probably phosphates, and the metals platinum, gold, silver, cadmium, tin and copper have a specific cohesion double that of mercury. Zinc, iron and palladium, three times that of mercury, and sodium, six times that of mercury.
Relation of Surface-tension to Temperature