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WHAT IS SURFACE TENSION?
 The molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by the molecules below them and on their sides. Hence the surface of a liquid acts like a stretched elastic membrane. The force responsible for this is called surface tension.The force  for reducing the surface area of a liquid surface is not zero .It acts downwards .As a result of it the liquid surface will act as a stretched membrane .This has a tendency to reduce its surface area .Thus the molecules at the surface attract each other with a force .This is the reason for the surfacetension .


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