... Surface Tension is the condition existing at the free surface of a liquid, resembling the properties of an elastic skin under tension. The tension is the result of intermolecular forces exerting an unbalanced inward pull on the individual surface molecules; this is reflected in the considerable curvature at those edges where the liquid is in contact with the wall of a vessel. The absorption of water in a sponge, the rise of molten wax in a wick and water rising in tube-like capillaries are familiar examples of capillary rise. Water rises in soil partly by capillary action. Capillary Action is the elevation or depression of the surface of a liquid where it is in contact with a solid, such as the sides of a tube. Capillary action depends on the forces created by the surface tension. If the forces of adhesion of the liquid to the solid (wetting) exceed the ...

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