What are the advantages and disadvantages of surface tension?

Answer 1

It is possible to float a sewing needle on the surface of water due to the surface arrangement of water (H2O ) molecules. This arrangement is facilitated by the hydrogen bonding (surface tension) between two adjacent water molecules. Now, this may get a little complicated. Has your tension surfaced?

Hydrogen has one proton and one electron which renders this atom neutral but the orbit that the one electron orbits within has an energy vacancy and is capable of accepting only one additional electron into that orbital "shell." The additional electron comes from a different hydrogen that, of course, has the same vacancy. When two hydrogen's single electron share each other's "vacancy" you have a hydrogen bond and the surface tension (an electromagnetic force) on which the needle rests.

You have to imagine the shared orbits as an electron cloud, around the two protons, within which the electrons can whirl forward as well as up or down but only within tightly defined parameters.

The cloud can be seen as the rubber thickness of a Racquetball that the electron can move anywhere within but only moving forward. The proton is at the center of the ball. The electrons move so rapidly that a "force field" is created but only at the water's surface and this creates surface tension. It is the same surface tension that hurts so much when you belly flop into the pool or is felt for just slapping the waters surface.

There is far more fascinating stuff associated with this phenomenon that involves the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle and Schrodinger's Cat that is bound to shake world beliefs, but that is a story for another time.

Is any of this useful? It is if you want a clean face or clothes. Add some soap to the water on which the needle floats and the needle immediately sinks. The hydrogen bonds are broken and in like fashion soap will release the surface tension of dirt to clothing or skin. But remember, there is a universe of chemistry that pervades and affects everything, including your aches and pains, even after your face is clean.

Answer 2

Surface tension is advantageous because it makes it easier to study items placed in water and gives them the ability to stay above the water. The disadvantage of it is that the surface tension resulting from water force is very weak and can be changed by gravitational forces.

Answer 3

It is indeed helpful!