2006-12-27 21:20:29 · 14 answers · asked by Ryan 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Put water into a test -tube then pour it out, the tube is still wet.Do the same with mercury (but do n't let the health & safety lot find out) and the tube stays dry.
This is because water molecules have an attraction for other molecules greater than their attraction for other water molecules.They tend to stick to the glass.
Adhesion> cohesion. Water is wet
Mercury atoms have the opposite effect.
Cohesion>Adhesion Mercury(although a liquid) is dry.
2006-12-27 22:42:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The "wet" in water refers to the fact that it is (1) a liquid and (2) a substrate (meaning other materials can dissolve in it). Any liquid could be considered wet, but the dissolving property of water and the fact that it is a liquid at room temperature makes it seem wet to us.
The reason for these characteristics is that there is a loose electromagnetic attraction between water molecues. Each molecule consists of two Hydrogen atoms with a positive electrical charge and one positively charged oxygen atom. The opposite charges cause water molecules to behave like tiny magnets and become loosely attracted to each other. This behavior allows other magnetically charged molecules, like salts, to dissolve in water. It also keeps water liquid at room temperature.
2006-12-28 05:28:48 · answer #2 · answered by jordannadunn 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are two kinds of wetness we feel - the state of liquidity when we touch it, which is not unique to water, and the wetness we feel when withdrawing from it, which is due to the cooling effect on the skin which the evaporating water has.
Other liquids evaporate at different rates from the skin, causing various degrees of cooling; we have learned to recognise the particular rate of cooling of water on the skin, and together with the liquid feeling of the water droplets still not evaporated, to call this "being wet".
2006-12-28 06:15:14 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
water just runs off most non-absorbant surfaces even skin so in many senses it isn't actually wet until you add a substance that breaks the surface tension caused by the hydrogen bonds between the H2O molecules - soap makes water wet.
2006-12-28 06:14:54 · answer #4 · answered by Allasse 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Scientists have now shown that water does not start to behave like a liquid until at least six molecules form a cluster.
2006-12-28 09:48:49 · answer #5 · answered by cajadman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Add a wetting agent, like soap and it makes it wetter by reducing surface tension
2006-12-28 05:30:33 · answer #6 · answered by bwadsp 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its wetness!
2006-12-28 07:28:41 · answer #7 · answered by John Trent 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's adhesion is stronger than it's cohesion, whereas the object getting "wet" would have stronger cohesion than adhesion.
Make sense? I hope so. Hope that helps.
Take care,
R
2006-12-28 05:29:33 · answer #8 · answered by caf_n_8d 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am sure Jordanna meant to say, negatively charged Oxygen atoms.
2006-12-28 05:38:43 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
2 hydrogen molecules and 1 oxygen molecule
HAPPY DAYS
2006-12-28 05:34:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋