Water rises to a height [tex]h[/tex] in a capillary tube. If the length of the capillary tube above the surface of the water is made less than [tex]h[/tex], then:

A. Water does not rise at all.
B. Water rises up to the tip of the capillary tube and then starts overflowing like a fountain.
C. Water rises up to the top of the capillary tube and stays there without overflowing.
D. Water rises up to a point a little below the top and stays there.

Water will rise to the top of a capillary tube and remain there without overflowing when the tube's length is less than the usual capillary rise height.

Explanation:

When a capillary tube is placed in water, the water rises due to capillary action, which is influenced by the cohesion and adhesion forces of water, the surface tension, and the tube's radius. The question at hand involves what happens when the length of the capillary tube above the water surface is less than the height h to which water would normally rise. The correct answer is that the water will rise to the top of the capillary tube and remain there without overflowing. This occurs because the capillary rise stops at the point where the internal forces balancing the water's weight are no longer able to pull it upwards due to the water reaching the physical limit of the tube. Thus, it stops at the top, staying there without spillage or overflow.