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The volume of a drop of a given liquid depends on the shape and materials of construction of the drop dispenser. Ethanol interacts differently with glass than plastic, and differently with different kinds of plastic. The size of a droplet is also dependent on the surface area of the point at which the drop forms. Ethanol does not "bead" on plain glass surfaces. Instead it tends to spread out, because it interacts with the surface. On the other hand, ethanol, just like water, will bead on certain inert plastics, due to a lack of interaction with those materials (ie. doesn't "cling" to them). So a PTFE dropper, for example, will form smaller drops than a glass dropper, and a very narrow needle-like dropper tip will form smaller drops than a thick, blunt dropper tip. Based on the selection of one's dropper, the volume of a droplet of ethanol could vary by upwards of 150%.

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Jim Ye

Lvl 2
3y ago

What else can I help you with?