The Floating Ball Paradox

Abstract.

In capillary theory there are two kinds of surface tension. There is the surface tension at the interface between two immiscible fluids. Thomas Young [9] also allowed for there to be a surface tension associated with a liquid-solid interface. He proceeded to use a balance of forces argument to derive the well-known contact angle condition along a liquid-liquid-solid intersection. The validity of this argument has recently been called into question by R. Finn [6]. A floating ball experiment discussed in that paper leads to an apparent paradox. We address this issue.