NVAEasyJEE 2023Surface Tension & Capillarity

JEE Physics 2023 Question with Solution

There is an air bubble of radius 1.0mm1.0\,mm in a liquid of surface tension 0.075Nm10.075\,N m^{-1} and density 1000kgm31000\,kg m^{-3} at a depth of 10cm10\,cm below the free surface. The amount by which the pressure inside the bubble is greater than the atmospheric pressure is _____ Pa (g=10ms2)\left(g = 10\,m s^{-2}\right).

Answer

Correct answer:1150

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: radius of bubble r=1.0×103mr = 1.0\times10^{-3}\,m, surface tension T=0.075Nm1T = 0.075\,N m^{-1}, density ρ=1000kgm3\rho = 1000\,kg m^{-3}, depth h=0.10mh = 0.10\,m, and g=10ms2g = 10\,m s^{-2}.

Find: the excess pressure inside the bubble over atmospheric pressure.

The excess pressure has two contributions:

  1. hydrostatic pressure due to depth
  2. excess pressure due to surface tension

Using

Phyd=ρghP_{hyd} = \rho g h

we get

Phyd=1000×10×0.10=1000PaP_{hyd} = 1000 \times 10 \times 0.10 = 1000\,Pa

For an air bubble in a liquid,

Pst=2TrP_{st} = \frac{2T}{r}

So,

Pst=2×0.0751.0×103=150PaP_{st} = \frac{2 \times 0.075}{1.0 \times 10^{-3}} = 150\,Pa

Hence, total excess pressure is

Pexcess=Phyd+Pst=1000+150=1150PaP_{excess} = P_{hyd} + P_{st} = 1000 + 150 = 1150\,Pa

Therefore, the pressure inside the bubble exceeds atmospheric pressure by 1150Pa1150\,Pa.

Quick Tip

Given: the bubble is at depth hh inside a liquid and has radius rr.

Find: pressure inside the bubble above atmospheric pressure.

For an air bubble in a liquid, add hydrostatic pressure and surface tension pressure directly:

Pexcess=ρgh+2TrP_{excess} = \rho g h + \frac{2T}{r}

Substituting the values,

Pexcess=1000×10×0.10+2×0.0751.0×103=1000+150=1150PaP_{excess} = 1000\times10\times0.10 + \frac{2\times0.075}{1.0\times10^{-3}} = 1000 + 150 = 1150\,Pa

Therefore, the required answer is 1150Pa1150\,Pa.

Common mistakes

  • Using 4Tr\frac{4T}{r} instead of 2Tr\frac{2T}{r}. That expression is for a soap bubble with two liquid surfaces, whereas an air bubble in a liquid has only one interface. Use 2Tr\frac{2T}{r} here.

  • Ignoring the hydrostatic pressure ρgh\rho gh due to the depth. The bubble is 10cm10\,cm below the free surface, so the surrounding liquid pressure is already above atmospheric pressure. Add ρgh\rho gh to the surface tension contribution.

  • Not converting radius from 1.0mm1.0\,mm to 1.0×103m1.0\times10^{-3}\,m. Surface tension formula requires SI units, so convert length to metres before substitution.

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