The force responsible for the contraction of surface of liquid is:

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

DSSSB PGT Chemistry (Female) Official Paper (Held On: 06 Jul, 2018 Shift 1)

Answer 1

CONCEPT:

Surface Tension

Surface tension is the property of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force due to the cohesive nature of its molecules.
It arises because the molecules at the surface of the liquid experience an imbalance of forces. Molecules at the surface are pulled inward by cohesive forces from neighboring molecules, causing the liquid to behave as though its surface is in a state of tension.
This phenomenon leads to the contraction of the surface area of the liquid, minimizing the liquid's surface energy.

EXPLANATION:

The force responsible for the contraction of the surface of a liquid is surface tension.
While other forces such as vapor pressure and surface energy are related to the behavior of liquids, they do not directly cause the contraction of the surface.
Surface tension is the key factor that leads to the minimization of the surface area of a liquid, which is why it is responsible for the contraction of the liquid surface.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 2: Surface tension.