What phenomenon describes the movement of liquid up a narrow tube against the force of gravity?

The phenomenon that describes the movement of liquid up a narrow tube against the force of gravity is known as capillary action. This process occurs due to the cohesive and adhesive forces between the liquid molecules and the molecules of the surrounding material, usually in the context of a narrow space or a tube.

When a narrow tube, or capillary, is placed in a liquid (like water), the adhesive forces between the liquid molecules and the walls of the tube can cause the liquid to cling to the walls and rise within the tube. This effect is particularly noticeable in liquids with strong cohesive bonds, such as water, which demonstrates considerable capillarity due to its ability to form hydrogen bonds.

Capillary action is crucial in various biological and ecological processes, such as water movement in plants, where it helps transport water and nutrients from the roots to the leaves against gravity. This is distinct from surface tension, which refers to the elastic tendency of liquids that makes them acquire the least surface area possible, and doesn't specifically describe the vertical movement. Viscosity relates to the internal resistance of a fluid to flow, not its movement against gravity. Hydrostatic pressure involves the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium due to the force of gravity but does not account for the upward