Answer :
Final answer:
Water, as a polar molecule, travels further up a capillary tube due to strong adhesive forces, while nonpolar molecules travel less due to weaker forces. This difference demonstrates the importance of intermolecular forces in capillary action. The meniscus shape further illustrates these contrasting behaviors in capillary action.
Explanation:
Understanding Capillary Action
Capillary action is a phenomenon observed when a liquid rises in a narrow tube due to the combination of cohesive and adhesive forces. Water, being a polar molecule, demonstrates significant capillary action due to its strong intermolecular forces, allowing it to rise more effectively in a capillary tube compared to a nonpolar molecule.
Comparison of Polar and Nonpolar Molecules
1. Water: When placed in a glass capillary, water rises against gravity due to strong adhesive forces between water molecules and the glass. This results in a concave meniscus, indicating that the water molecules are being drawn up into the tube.
2. Nonpolar Molecule: Nonpolar molecules, on the other hand, do not interact as effectively with the polar surface of the glass. They tend to avoid the capillary action, displaying weaker adhesive forces compared to cohesive forces, which results in a convex meniscus and less height in the capillary tube.
Key Outcomes
Thus, when comparing the capillary action of the two, water will travel further up the capillary tube, while the nonpolar molecule will travel a much shorter distance or may even not rise significantly at all due to insufficient adhesive forces.
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