How Additives Affect Surface Tension
Close-up of the pure and soapy water droplets on the tape strip.Copyright Nicholas Anderson
Students explore the concept of surface tension and how additives such as surfactants can alter it. Students investigate how substances like surfactants change the surface tension of water and relate this to lung function. Students will then connect their observations to real-world concerns, examining how vaping additives may interfere with lung surfactants and potentially impact breathing over time.
Biomedical engineers are actively working on developing artificial lung surfactants to help patients with conditions such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). To do this, they study the function of natural lung surfactants in alveolar fluid, modeling the fluid and testing its behavior under different conditions. A key area of research is understanding how chemical additives, such as those found in vaping cartridges, impact the surface tension of alveolar fluid and, consequently, lung function. In this activity, students will engage in a similar process, observing, modeling, and analyzing how substances can alter fluid behavior in the lungs, mirroring the investigative work performed by biomedical engineers.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Describe the forces involved with the surface tension of a fluid.
- Determine how a surfactant decreases the surface tension of water.
- Discuss the possible impact of long-term vaping on lung alveoli fluid.