2006-07-10 04:21:44 · 13 answers · asked by ARSH 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Hydrogen bonding in water molecules cause these molecules to stick together tightly. Light organisms such as water spiders do not provide enough force to break these bonds apart.
2006-07-10 05:41:03 · answer #1 · answered by prune 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Water has a quality that results from the polarity of the water molecule, since water is attractive to itself, at the boundary of the water it resists intrusion by anything foreign. This property is called surface tension. What it creates is thin barrier on top of the water that acts as skin that only breaks after the polar bonds are disrupted by enough force. A water striding insect spreads its weight out over as large an area as possible, and it remains in balance so its weight never reaches the limit of the strength of the surface tension. This limits the size the insect can grow to, but it allows those that can to skate about on the water very quickly using mobility to gain advantage to survive.
2006-07-10 04:36:07 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Surface tension. The surface of water is like a flexible sheet, and light objects (like water spiders) aren't heavy enough to break through it.
2006-07-10 04:25:47 · answer #3 · answered by genericman1998 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The semi-bipolar structure of water molecules allow them to bond together and form a tensile boundary at their edge. This is why water beads up on some surfaces. The weight of a water spider is so light and so widely distributed that it isn't enough to break that boundary, allowing it to walk on water!
2006-07-10 04:25:57 · answer #4 · answered by snodrift777 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They spread their legs way out and distribute their weight over a larger area...so their weight in any one spot is less than the surface tension of water. Polar bears do the same thing when going across thin ice.
2006-07-10 04:28:13 · answer #5 · answered by Bing 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God designed their feet to cooperate with the surface tension of the water. He did the same thing to Jesus once too!
2006-07-15 20:03:04 · answer #6 · answered by TrickMeNicely 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its due to surface tension.. the surface of the water acts as a stretched membrane, enabling it 2 b on the surface. it also spreads it weight on a large area..
2006-07-10 04:28:58 · answer #7 · answered by manu 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
their feet are spead out so that their wieght on any one foot is not enough to break the surface tension of the water
2006-07-10 04:25:16 · answer #8 · answered by lexie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they have small hairs on the bottom of their feet that distribute their weight so as not to break the miscus of the water. See also water striders.
2006-07-10 04:26:40 · answer #9 · answered by fidowithaspot 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it is from small fibers that trap air causing them to float...
2006-07-10 04:25:46 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋