Formation of a Meniscus. When liquid water is confined in a tube, its surface (meniscus) has a concave shape because water wets the surface and creeps up the side. Mercury does not wet glass - the cohesive forces within the drops are stronger than the adhesive forces between the drops and glass.

Mercury does not wet glass. This is due to the property of liquid known as adhesion.

Explanation:
When a liquid comes into contact with a solid surface, it can either spread out and wet the surface or form droplets and not wet the surface. The ability of a liquid to wet a solid surface depends on the balance between adhesive and cohesive forces.

Adhesion:
Adhesion refers to the attraction between molecules of different substances. In the case of mercury and glass, the adhesive forces between mercury molecules and the glass surface are weak. This weak adhesion causes mercury to form spherical droplets on the glass rather than spreading out and wetting the surface.

Surface Tension:
Surface tension is the property of a liquid that allows it to minimize its surface area by forming a spherical shape. It is caused by cohesive forces between the liquid molecules. Surface tension tends to pull the liquid together and resist spreading. However, surface tension alone cannot explain why mercury does not wet glass.

Cohesion:
Cohesion refers to the attraction between molecules of the same substance. Mercury has a high cohesive force due to its strong metallic bonds. This cohesive force causes mercury to form droplets rather than spreading out on a glass surface.

Viscosity:
Viscosity is a measure of a liquid's resistance to flow. It is not directly related to the wetting behavior of a liquid on a solid surface.

Compressibility:
Compressibility refers to the ability of a substance to be compressed or reduced in volume under pressure. It is not directly related to the wetting behavior of a liquid on a solid surface.

In conclusion, the property of liquid known as adhesion is responsible for mercury not wetting glass. The weak adhesive forces between mercury and glass cause it to form droplets rather than spreading out and wetting the surface.

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