Oil spreads on water surface because-a)Oil is denser than waterb)Oil i...
Oil spreads on water surface because the surface tension of oil is less than water.
View all questions of this test
Oil spreads on water surface because-a)Oil is denser than waterb)Oil i...
Explanation:
Oil spreads on water surface because of the surface tension of oil being less than water. This means that the forces of attraction between the oil molecules are weaker than the forces of attraction between water molecules. As a result, when oil is poured onto water, it tends to spread out over the surface of the water rather than clumping together. This is because the oil molecules are not able to overcome the surface tension of the water and so they spread out to minimize their contact with the water.
Factors affecting oil spread on water surface:
Density: Density is not the factor responsible for oil spreading on water surface. In fact, oil is less dense than water, which is why it floats on top of water.
Surface Tension: Surface tension is the force that acts on the surface of a liquid and tends to minimize the surface area. The surface tension of water is greater than the surface tension of oil. This means that the molecules at the water surface are more strongly attracted to each other than the molecules at the oil surface. As a result, the oil spreads out over the water surface.
Conclusion:
Therefore, it can be concluded that the surface tension of oil being less than water is the main reason for the spreading of oil on the water surface.