Saturday, March 4, 2017

Why is surface tension parallel to the interface?


A text says:



The surface tension of a liquid results from an imbalance of intermolecular attractive forces, the cohesive forces between molecules: A molecule in the bulk liquid experiences cohesive forces with other molecules in all directions. A molecule at the surface of a liquid experiences only net inward cohesive forces




If this is the case: Why is surface tension considered or experienced as a force parallel to the interface while it is so obvious that it must be perpendicular to it?




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