Abstract This paper uses easily accessible materials, combined with a smartphone macro lens, to build a simple contact angle measurement system and conduct a series of experiments. The contact angles of water on different solid surfaces and the effects of functional groups, carbon chain length, and positional isomerism of liquid organics on their contact angles were systematically studied. In addition, the effects of adding miscible liquids, inorganic salts, and surfactants to water on the contact angle of water were examined. By analyzing the changes in the contact angle from the perspective of intermolecular forces, the intrinsic connections between contact angle and the microstructure of substances were uncovered. This paper seeks to provide a fresh angle for high school chemistry education, assisting students in gaining a clearer understanding of intermolecular forces.
ZHONG Tian-Yang, XIAO Xin, LUO Xiu-Ling. Smartphone-Assisted Simple Contact Angle Meter and Its Application in Teaching of Intermolecular Forces[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Education, 2025, 46(11): 86-93.
