Mercury does not wet glass. This is the property of liquid known as

Options

A. Adhesion
B. Surface tension
C. Viscosity
D. Compressibility

Answer

To solve the question regarding why mercury does not wet glass, we need to understand the properties of liquids and the forces acting between molecules. Here’s a step-by-step solution:

### Step 1: Understand the concept of wetting
Wetting refers to the ability of a liquid to maintain contact with a solid surface. This is influenced by the balance between adhesive forces (the attraction between the liquid and the solid) and cohesive forces (the attraction between the molecules of the liquid itself).

**Hint:** Consider what happens when a liquid is placed on a solid surface. Does it spread out or form a droplet?

### Step 2: Identify the forces at play
In the case of mercury and glass, we need to look at the cohesive forces between mercury molecules and the adhesive forces between mercury and glass.

- **Cohesive forces**: These are the intermolecular forces that hold the molecules of mercury together.
- **Adhesive forces**: These are the forces that attract the mercury molecules to the glass surface.

**Hint:** Think about how strong the attraction is between the liquid molecules compared to the attraction between the liquid and the solid surface.

### Step 3: Compare the forces
For mercury, the cohesive forces are much stronger than the adhesive forces. This means that mercury molecules prefer to stick to each other rather than spreading out and adhering to the glass surface.

**Hint:** If a liquid prefers to stay together rather than spread out on a surface, what can you infer about its wetting properties?

### Step 4: Conclusion
Since the cohesive forces in mercury are stronger than the adhesive forces with glass, mercury does not wet glass. This property of liquids is known as **adhesion**.

**Hint:** Remember that if a liquid does not spread out on a surface, it is likely due to stronger cohesive forces compared to adhesive forces.

### Final Answer
The property of the liquid that explains why mercury does not wet glass is known as **adhesion**.