Surface tension is basically like when you go to the water fountain to fill up your water bottle during lunch and you spend those awkward 30 secs alone until you think about how your water doesn't actually spill right away when it's at the top and fully filled to the brim. That's because of surface tension. Basically what happens is water molecules cling to the surface of liquids like when you're on a ferris wheel and you and your friend are too scared to let go of each other's hands (that's based on personal experience). Those water molecules are friends who don't want to let go of each other's hands. The fear creates like this invisible force that makes it too hard for them to leave each other. By the time you realize this your water bottle probably has overflown and dripped all over the floor.
Capillary action, that's such a basic and easy concept to understand that I was actually surprised why I did not learn this sooner. When I think about it, I probably did I just forgot. Ok so capillary actions are basically water climbing. Think about it like this, water molecules are working as a team, they are defying the laws of gravity, working together against it to pull water up. This more often than not occurs only in narrow or thein spaces, like when we use paper towel or a towel soaks up any liquids. The waters basically climb up the paper towel or towel.
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