50 likes | 417 Views
Why is Water Sticky?. Part 2 -- Investigating the Properties of Adhesion & Capillary Action. What is Adhesion?. Polarity makes water molecules attract to other water molecules (cohesion) Additionally, water molecules can be attracted to other substances.
E N D
Why is Water Sticky? Part 2 -- Investigating the Properties of Adhesion & Capillary Action
What is Adhesion? • Polarity makes water molecules attract to other water molecules (cohesion) • Additionally, water molecules can be attracted to other substances. • Adhesion: water’s natural tendency to cling to certain substances • This causes capillary action
How does Capillary Action work? • Capillary action: result of cohesion of water and adhesion of that water to the solid material around it • As plants release water from their leaves (transpiration), a void is created. • Water is drawn upward into plant due to its attraction to the walls of the xylem tubes within the stems.
Other Evidence of Capillary Action • Florists often put flowers in water that contains dye to color them for special uses • Groundwater moves through soil, from wet areas to dry areas because of capillary action • Paper towels absorb or “wick” fluids, allowing a fluid to be transferred from a surface to the towel • Sport & exercise fabrics are referred to as “wicking fabrics” because they use capillary action to pull sweat away from the body