Why does not soaked dry leaves crumble?

Question

Dry leaves break easily. Wet or soaked dry leaves does not break easily. Why?

Answer 1

Dry leaves are non-elastic!

You see when leaves dry out (the moisture content is almost zero), the leaf components lose their elasticity and flexibility, thus becoming brittle. So they crumble just as any brittle material would!

When dry leaves are soaked in water, leaves being porous SOME elasticity is retained and the leaf becomes slack.

That's why you cannot CRUMBLE water soaked dry leaves!

Answer 2

Because the cells of the dry leaves are dead .

Answer 3

Because they aren't dry anymore.