PREVIOUSLY ASKED IN:
West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) Preliminary 2023
Answer
released.
Explanation
When two small drops merge to form a single larger drop, the total surface area decreases. This reduction in surface area leads to the release of surface energy.
Key Points
- Liquids tend to minimize surface area due to surface tension.
- Lower surface area means lower potential energy, which is released as heat.
- In the reverse process (splitting a drop), energy is absorbed.
Additional Information
- This principle explains why raindrops are spherical.
- The merging of drops results in an increase in the system's entropy.