Capillary Rise Calculator

About this calculator

This calculator applies the Jurin's law equation, h = 2γcosθ/(ρgr), to find how high a liquid climbs inside a narrow capillary tube, where γ is surface tension, θ is the contact angle between liquid and tube wall, ρ is liquid density, g is gravitational acceleration, and r is the tube's inner radius. The rise happens because adhesive forces between the liquid and the tube wall pull the liquid upward until that pull is balanced by the weight of the risen column — narrower tubes and liquids with higher surface tension (like water) produce a more dramatic rise.

Physics and chemistry students verifying surface-tension lab results, soil scientists and hydrologists studying how water moves through fine soil pores, and engineers designing wicking materials, inkjet nozzles, or microfluidic devices use this. Enter the surface tension, contact angle, liquid density, and tube radius to get the capillary rise height.