ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Capillary surface

Okay, kiddo, let's talk about capillary surfaces.

You know how you pour water into a cup and it goes up the sides a little bit? That's because of capillary action.

Capillary surfaces are tiny channels or spaces between two materials that are very close together, like the space between the sides of the cup and the water. These surfaces are so small that they can hold liquids, even against the force of gravity.

The reason this happens is because of something called surface tension. Think about when you blow soap bubbles - the soap creates a thin film of liquid that holds the shape of the bubble. Surface tension works in a similar way, creating a "skin" on the surface of the liquid that holds it in place.

When two materials are very close together, like the sides of the cup and the water, the surface tension of the liquid is stronger than the force of gravity. This causes the liquid to rise up a little bit on the sides of the cup, creating a capillary surface.

Capillary surfaces can be found in lots of places in nature and in your everyday life. They help plants draw water up from the ground, and they're used in lab equipment to measure small amounts of liquids.

So there you have it, kiddo - capillary surfaces are tiny channels between materials that can hold liquids because of surface tension. Pretty cool, huh?
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