Explanation:

Surface tension is a property of liquids that arises from the cohesive forces between molecules. It is defined as the force per unit length that acts at right angles to a line drawn on the surface of a liquid and is directed towards the interior of the liquid. Surface tension is responsible for many of the behaviors of liquids, including capillary action, the formation of drops and bubbles, and the non-wetting of certain surfaces.

Mercury does not wet glass because its surface tension is too high. When a liquid wets a surface, it spreads out over the surface, forming a thin film. This occurs when the adhesive forces between the liquid and the surface are greater than the cohesive forces within the liquid. In the case of mercury and glass, the cohesive forces within the mercury are stronger than the adhesive forces between the mercury and the glass. This means that mercury tends to form a rounded shape on the surface of the glass rather than spreading out to form a film.

Surface tension is also responsible for the formation of menisci, which are the curved surfaces that form at the edges of a liquid in contact with a solid surface. In the case of mercury and glass, the meniscus that forms is concave, meaning that the surface of the mercury at the edge of the glass is lower than the surface of the mercury in the center of the glass. This is due to the balance between the adhesive and cohesive forces at the surface of the mercury.

Conclusion:

Thus, the correct answer is option C, surface tension, as it is the property of liquids that causes mercury to not wet glass due to its high cohesive forces and the resulting concave meniscus that forms.

But this is due to cohesion