SURFACE TENSION

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does surface tension mean? 

• SURFACE TENSION (noun)
  The noun SURFACE TENSION has 1 sense:

1. a phenomenon at the surface of a liquid caused by intermolecular forces

  Familiarity information: SURFACE TENSION used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SURFACE TENSION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A phenomenon at the surface of a liquid caused by intermolecular forces

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("surface tension" is a kind of...):

physical phenomenon (a natural phenomenon involving the physical properties of matter and energy)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "surface tension"):

capillarity; capillary action (a phenomenon associated with surface tension and resulting in the elevation or depression of liquids in capillaries)

interfacial surface tension; interfacial tension (surface tension at the surface separating two non-miscible liquids)

 Context examples 

In addition, the researchers found that changing the surface tension of the surface, for example by adding washing-up liquid, can stop the sound.

(What causes the sound of a dripping tap – and how do you stop it?, University of Cambridge)

Pulmonary surfactant lines the lung epithelium and lowers surface tension to prevent collapse at end-expiration.

(Lung Surfactant, NCI Thesaurus)

Surfactants regulate the surface tension of the mucoid layer lining the alveoli.

(Lung Surfactant, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Upon intratracheal administration, this agent, mimicking endogenous pulmonary surfactant, lines the alveoli and smallest bronchioles, keeping alveoli open during expiration by lowering surface tension.

(Calfactant, NCI Thesaurus)

Colfosceril palmitate is effective in reducing the surface tension of pulmonary fluids, thereby increasing lung compliance properties to prevent alveolar collapse and improve breathing.

(Colfosceril Palmitate, NCI Thesaurus)

These are often listed on ingredient lists as ADBAC and DDAC, respectively, and are valued for their antimicrobial and antistatic properties, as well as their ability to lower surface tension.

(Common Household Chemicals Lead to Birth Defects in Mice, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Guaifenesin works by drawing water into respiratory tracts, thereby reducing adhesiveness and surface tension of mucus as well as increasing hydration of mucus.

(Entex, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent reduces the viscosity of mucus secretion by reducing adhesiveness and surface tension as well as increasing hydration of mucus.

(Guaifenesin, NCI Thesaurus)

"From our experiments and theoretical model, we figured out that surface tension of the fluid is one of the crucial factors promoting the water to get stuck in ear canals," said Baskota.

(Shaking head to free water in ears could cause brain damage in kids, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

A unit of surface tension defined as the stretching force required to form a liquid film, tending to minimize the area of a surface, equal to one newton per unit length of the film equal to one meter.

(Newton per Meter, NCI Thesaurus)