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Q.Derive the formula of excess pressure inside a spherical liquid drop and soap bubble.

Rajasthan RbseRajasthan Board Senior Secondary Part-I Examination 2017Subjective· 3mImportance★★★★★
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Using a virtual work argument, the excess pressure inside a drop is 2T/r; a soap bubble, having two surfaces, has double that: 4T/r.

Consider a spherical liquid drop of radius r, surface tension T, with excess pressure ΔP inside compared to outside. Imagine the radius increases by a small amount dr due to this excess pressure.

Increase in surface area of the drop (one surface, since a drop has only an outer free surface):

dA = 4π(r+dr)^2 - 4πr^2 ≈ 8πr dr (neglecting (dr)^2)

Work done against surface tension in creating this extra area:

dW_surface = T × dA = 8πT r dr

Work done by the excess pressure force in expanding the drop by dr:

dW_pressure = ΔP × (4πr^2) × dr

Equating the two (energy balance):

ΔP × 4πr^2 × dr = T × 8πr dr

ΔP = 2T / r

For a soap bubble, there are TWO free surfaces (an inner surface and an outer surface, since the bubble is a thin film enclosing air), so the increase in total surface area for the same dr is double:

dA = 2 × 8πr dr = 16πr dr

Repeating the same energy balance: …

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