IIT JEE , AIEEE Forum - Physics , Mechanics

tarun_bits

WHy the shape of a water drop is spherical?

chimanshu_007

due to surface tension

visioniit

ya,its due to surface tension..

uday_zingtudor

tarun,

A water drop {it's of very little size and so not effected by gravity (to large extent)} has to be stable.

So due to surface tension and the spherical shape(spherical shape gives the water drop minimum surface area thereby minimum surface energy} which give it stability it'd be in spherical shape!!

So, this is the answer.

~~Cheeerio!!!

magiclko

Their spherical shape is caused by surface tension. Soap bubbles are elastic and will contract to form a sphere, which provides the most volume for the least surface area. (and hence the least surface energy)

d5

ITs just coz of surface tension

THe surface atoms of the water droplet are attracted by the exact downward atoms.As there are no water atoms above this surface the surface atoms do not get attracted upwards(except when there is a presence of atoms above this water surface which are stronger enough to attract the surface atoms).

Hence the resultant force experienced is downwards.

for_succes

Actually the question put forth by tarun_bits is wrong......or it needs modification

coz water drops are spherical if and only if their dimensions are very,very small.....when the dimension of a water drop is great the force of gravity pulls the molecules of the drop downwards and hence we get the shape of a pointed ellipse........but wen the dimensions are small(very small)the effect of gravity can be neglected and hence we get a spherical water drop[which is not the case normally]

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