Answer to Question #53761 in Organic Chemistry for srinivas

Question

How does the temperature effect surface tension and viscosity.

Answer 1

The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to gradual deformation by shear stress or tensile stress. When the temperature increases viscosity of fluid decreases. When the tempereture of molecules movement is enough to overcome the forces that bind the molecules together it allows the liquid to become more fluid and decreasing its viscosity.
Surface tension is the elastic tendency of liquids which makes them acquire the least surface area possible. When the temperature increases surface tension of fluid decreases. When water heats up, the movement of its molecules disrupts the imbalanced forces on the surface of the water and weakens its sheet-like barrier of tightly bound molecules, thereby lowering the surface tension.