SS Connection

Historical Connection:

The theory of surface tension was first created in Babylon in 2200 BC. A group of Babylonians were cooking food when they noticed something that they have never seen before. As they kept on putting spices and herbs in their bowl of cassia oil, the oil started to create a bubble over the bowl.

Thus surface tension was born. As years passed by, more and more civilizations were using this theory for other reasons. For example, in 1500 BC, Egyptians used animal and vegetable oil to figure out the concept about surface tension. When they would cook food with these oils, the oil would create a bubble over the bowl.

Another example of a civilization discovering and using surface tension were the Romans in 79 AD.They would use wood ash, river water from the Tiber, and clay soil to create soap. In order to create soap, they needed to go through surface tension. They would make the bubble over the bowl and freeze it. This is how Romans discovered soap.

Surface Tension Theory:

Surface tension is a contraction tendency of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force. It is revealed, for example, in the floating of some objects on the surface of water, even though they are denser than water, and in the ability of some insects to run on the water surface. This property is caused by cohesion of similar molecules, and is responsible for many of the behaviors of liquids.

Source:

1.Non-Newtonian Fluid Dynamics Research Group. Introduction to surface tension. MIT, 16 Apr. 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://web.mit.edu/nnf/education/wettability/intro.html>.