Surface Tension

• Tensiometers that are used to measure surface tension, called force tensiometers, can be used to determine measurements such as surface tension, powder wettability, absorption, cleanliness, surface heterogeneity and density. These devices are also the only medium through which you can determine the absorption rate and angle of contact of a packed powder through the use of the Washburn Method.
  
  

Moisture Tension In Soil

• The other type of tensiometer is used to measure exactly how hard a plant is working in order to extract water from the soil in which it is planted. The device is often used by farmers and serious gardeners to determine how much water a crop or plant is going to need.
  
  

Cost

• Soil tensiometers tend to cost significantly less than their scientific cousins. A cheap soil tensiometer will cost you around $42, while a surface tension tensiometer can cost upwards of $4,100 as of October 2010.