Tensile Strength of Liquids

Abstract

The theory of the tensile strength of a pure liquid is developed and it is shown that it predicts much larger tensile strengths than are observed. This theory is modified and extended under the supposition that liquids usually contain nuclei which are here taken to be solid particles. It is shown that the theory leads to more moderate predictions of tensile strength provided the solid particles are not wetted by the liquid. It is also shown that Brownian motion will serve as the mechanism whereby solid particles can remain in suspension in liquids.

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