Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: neilep on 20/05/2008 12:30:31

Title: How Does Paper Towel Absorb Stuff ?
Post by: neilep on 20/05/2008 12:30:31

Hi All,

How are ewe ?..I'm Ok..I have to go the dentist in an hour....a filling (USA Translation service: " Filling " = " Cavity "....sheesh !) fell out a last week !!....

Anyway, thanks for the chat !




See this paper towel ?

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Nice eh ?...it's happy waiting there to be used as a napkin, a face cleaner, even a dead wasp picker-upper....but it's well good at absorbing liquids !

But how does it do that ?....You place it upon some liquid of your choice (Not ignited petrol or oil !..DOH !!)...and it slowly draws the liquid into it......why's that then ? How does it actually pull the liquid in ?





Thanking ewe



Neil
Absorbant Paper Enquirer

Title: How Does Paper Towel Absorb Stuff ?
Post by: LeeE on 23/06/2008 03:13:59

Capillary action.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capillary_action (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capillary_action)

Title: How Does Paper Towel Absorb Stuff ?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 23/06/2008 09:06:32

1 of these capillaries?

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elkhornslough.org%2Fjournal%2Fjournalpix%2F040802caterpillarSM.jpg&hash=bd8674319ce11d8fcb896f382ec99942)

Title: How Does Paper Towel Absorb Stuff ?
Post by: lyner on 23/06/2008 10:54:21

This is a very absorbing subject and there's Bounty be a good answer to the question but I clean forgot it. We're really on a roll with this one folks and we're not going to spill the beans. Mark my words, I could wipe the floor with you on this one.

Title: How Does Paper Towel Absorb Stuff ?
Post by: LeeE on 23/06/2008 18:34:17

Thank you Ms. Mopp, I think we may now consider our knowledge on this topic, which in the vernacular, clearly sucks, saturated.  By the way, have you been to Wick recently?