On the size dependence of a contact angle

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A small drop on a flat solid surface is considered in this paper. In the framework of a unified approach (Gibbs dividing surface method), expressions for the interfacial tension at the liquid-vapor interface and for the contact angle were found. It is shown that introduction of the size dependence of the interfacial tension at a curved liquid-vapor interface is equivalent to using the concept of line tension on the three-phase solid-liquid-vapor boundary. It is noted that the calculations are in agreement with experimental data obtained using an atomic force microscope.