Capillarity

The rise or fall of a liquid inside a capillary tube is called capillarity.  Capillarity is caused by adhesion or the attraction between molecules of different substances.

When a capillary tube is inserted inside a liquid such water, the level inside the capillary tube rises above the level outside.  This is known as capillary attraction.

When a capillary tube is inserted inside a liquid such as mercury, the level inside the capillary tube falls below the level outside.  This is known as capillary repulsion.