Tension at the Cell Surface

Abstract

Although phenomena connected with surface tension must have been noticed by many observers since the study of nature began, important scientific observations date from the latter part of the 17th century. The subject was considered by Robert Boyle, whose contribution to the Royal Society in 1676 was entitled: "New experiments about the Superficial Figures of Fluids, especially of Liquors contiguous to other Liquors." In this paper he stated that Mr. Hooke 1 had already enquired why water rises "in narrow pipes" and Boyle expressed his own opinion that the concave figure of the surface (the meniscus) was determined by the contiguous fluid, the air. He endeavored to prove his point by placing another fluid, turpentine, on the water surface in a small tube, when the concavity immediately decreased and the surfaces of contact became nearly plane.