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Question
Explain why Water on a clean glass surface tends to spread out while mercury on the same surface tends to form drops. (Put differently, water wets glass while mercury does not.)
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Solution 1
Mercury molecules (which make an obtuse angle with glass) have a strong force of attraction between themselves and a weak force of attraction toward solids. Hence, they tend to form drops.
On the other hand, water molecules make acute angles with glass. They have a weak force of attraction between themselves and a strong force of attraction toward solids. Hence, they tend to spread out.
Solution 2
Water on a clean glass surface tends to spread out i.e., water wets glass because force of cohesion of water is much less than the force of adhesion due to glass. In case of mercury force of cohesion due to mercury molecules is quite strong as compared to adhesion force due to glass. Consequently, mercury does not wet glass and tends to form drops.
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