Two small drops of mercury each of radius 'R' coalesce to form a large single drop. The ratio of the total…

Two small drops of mercury each of radius 'R' coalesce to form a large single drop. The ratio of the total surface energies before and after the change is
  1. $\sqrt{2}: 1$
  2. $2^{1 / 3}: 1$
  3. $2: 1$
  4. $2^{2 / 3}: 1$

Solution

$\frac{4}{3} \pi R^{3} \times 2=\frac{4}{3} \pi R^{\prime 3}$ $R^{\prime}=2^{1 / 3} R$ Total surface energy before $=2 \times 4 \pi R^{2} T \quad(T=$ surface tension $)$ Total surface energy after $=4 \pi R^{\prime 2} T$ $\therefore \quad$ Ratio $=\frac{2 \times R^{2}}{R^{\prime 2}}=\frac{2 \times R^{2}}{2^{2 / 3} R^{2}}=\frac{2}{2^{2 / 3}}=2^{1-\frac{2}{3}}=2^{1 / 3}$ $\therefore$ Ratio $=2^{1 / 3}: 1$

Asked in: MHT CET 2020 (12 Oct Shift 1)

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