CAPILLARITY

n. TCa2p-i2l-a2r'i2t-R Lat., cap ill a rit as. Fr., cap ill a rite. Ger., Cap ill a rit at, Haarrohrchenanziehung. 1. The condition of being capillary. 2. Capillary attraction. [B; L, 180.] Coefficient of c., Constant of c. A number indicating the amount of capillary force exerted upon the unit of area of a solid or liquid; in the case of liquids it is the weight of the column of a liquid raised by capillary attraction in a tube of given calibre; in the case of solids their surface tenacity, i. e., the weight which, applied to a unit of area of surface, will change its shape. [B, 2.] Modulus of c. A number representing the change in the height of a capillary column consisting of a solution of a metallic salt, when either the basic or the acid radicle of the salt is replaced by another radicle. This modulus is constant for any given radicle. Thus, for a tube 5 mm. in diameter and at 15 C., the modulus of c. of sodium as compared with ammonium is 1'2 mm., i. e., a column consisting of a solution of ammonium chloride, carbonate, or nitrate, on being converted into a solution of sodium chloride, carbonate, or nitrate, will show an alteration in height of 1'2 mm. [B, 2.] [s. 67]